Don Lemon
Appearances
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
We're all individuals, and I'm an adult. And look, I think it is different for men and women, depending on the power structure and that sort of thing.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yes. As a man, I could say, no, I'm not interested, or just... Right. But also as someone who was molested as a child.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah. Oh. So for me, it is a whole different thing. Oh, of course. I know how to say it. Sure. Must be very triggering. Well... Yes and no. Because you know how to deal with it and you know what's really important or not. And you know who has the power. I figure as a man, I have the power to say, I don't want to do this. And you're bigger and stronger. Yes.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't need to go to HR and learn your career. I just tell you, I'm not interested in this. You were drunk. We had a couple of drinks or whatever. Let's let it go. But some people, they made a business out of it. Quite frankly. Whether it's, you know, whoever it is, but some people have. But in many ways, in many times, most times it's legitimate, but there are times that it's not.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
We were at a restaurant and they were drinking. They're like, oh my God, look at you. You've lost weight. You look so hot. And then they, and I was like, whoa. And there were people around me. They're like, what the fuck just happened? Yeah. The guy was drunk. And I just said, okay, he's drunk or whatever. Perhaps I should have said something, but I don't.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, it happens a lot to men, more often to men, I think, than people realize. Oh, from your lips to God's ears. But, you know, again, I pray for this to recur in my life. Look, I'm going to say this, because in this world of cancellation, I don't know. I'm not a woman, so I don't know how it feels to be a woman, and that happens to a woman. I'm not a woman, and I do know how it feels.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Awful, of course. How could it not? I know that, but I'm not going to speak for women in this situation. I can only imagine how terrible it is. Well, I will.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That might be a different story for me. Yeah. No, we're saying the same thing. I'm just saying I don't want to speak for women. I can't imagine how awful it is for a woman. I'm not condoning it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think that's sort of a... I think that's sort of a myth that people have. I'm not saying it doesn't happen in prison, but as often as people would like to believe that it happened in prison. But also on the other end, it's men. Men are dogs. They're horny. Right. Yes, some prison sex is certainly consensual. Yeah. But I'm sure all of that happens. But I mean.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's a weird conversation we're having here. I never thought I'd be talking to Bill Maher about prison sex.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Why? You were afraid someone was going to prison rape you? You're not in prison.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, J.K. Simmons. Was the Nazi in prison? And the guy who's, why can't I think of his name on Law & Order? Yes, absolutely. Yes, absolutely, him. That guy. That guy, he was the hobbit.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, that's the other guy. Oh, that's the other guy. That's the other guy who does the mayhem guy on the commercial. Yes. I'm talking about Chris, whatever his name is, from... Oh, yes, Chris. From... Right, I know.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Chris Maloney. Yes. Chris Maloney was the main character. Right, Dean, the other guy.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
There are slow news days, but there's always something. Not these days. But then that's a good challenge, though. Whenever there's a slow news day, I find that sometimes I do my best. But have you seen one since January 20th?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Big talent. Yeah, it was a good show. But Chris Maloney was already on Law & Order SVU and was very famous. I think this was sort of a side gig for him. But I'll tell you why it was scary, Don.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So not good. You paid more attention to that than I did, but go on. I did what? You paid more attention to that than I watched. I don't remember all those things. I just remember that there was a lot of sour scenes. You've seen more men's asses than I have. I'm not sure about that, Bill, right now.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah, but it stayed with you. You weren't worried someone was going to do that to you, right? No, it's not rational, but, you know.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Maybe I should light up a joint. Come here, Bill. Really? Yeah. I'm joking. I was talking about burning a swastika. It's a little slow. Yeah, that's right.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You were talking about the possibility of that happening in men and women. That was way off the beaten path. This is crazy. I never thought I'd be having this conversation.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, I agree with that because you're saying my philosophy that happens. And people, you know, often when you're just having a real conversation, you say things that are brilliant sometimes and you say things that are stupid. And that's the whole point of a conversation. Me or people in general? Just people in general. Right, right, right.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But somehow we have forgotten that I feel that that's what television should be like.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Every once in a while I would go out when I was in CNN, I'd go out to dinner and have like a glass of wine or, or maybe like one cocktail. And then two hours later I would do a show. I didn't feel like I was drunk, but the conversations were really good.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But I think, Bill, you know, I'm going to disagree with you on it. I think that we can have conversations like that on television. I think it's... Not like we're having now. Never. Well... I think that's the reason that linear television is on the decline is because people are craving that realness and they're not giving the people what they want. It just moved to a different place.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's a lot. I thought it was a lot in 2016 and then in 2020 during the election, but this is a lot. I mean, the first 40 days is like the first 40 years.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's a different... Your show's on YouTube now. It's a different mechanism. It's the same thing, though. It's a smaller screen.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think now, I think they... Well... You don't know the answer to that question? No, no, I do know the answer to that question. I think... In my early days on CNN, I would say more people watched me on CNN. And then also when I was there, it was a different time. I think more people watched me on CNN I don't know.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think more people watch me now, but I think the highest point of CNN was during COVID and we had COVID and George Floyd at the same time and Donald Trump. And that was the height, that was the highest ratings, the most profitable of CNN. And so it was amazing to be there. People watched every night and they sort of relied on us because you were stuck in your home and you had nothing else.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I bet you more people see you now. More people, you're right. And more people see me now and more people recognize me now.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I didn't even see that. I can't remember the last time. Unless I go to an opening, like a friend or someone, some group invites me to come to an opening.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah. Which is why I agree with you. Yeah. So now, look, I don't pay attention as much because I'm used to people going, oh, Don Lemon, hey, CNN guy, whatever. My husband says, Don, more people recognize you now than when you were on CNN. And I'm like, really? Yes.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But also not just because of the podcast or whatever, the streaming show, but because of social media. Yeah. And my pledge to myself, someone asked me like, you know, what is your purpose? And I said, my purpose as my professional purpose is to meet the audience where they are. And the audience is not on cable.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The audience is on social media and it's on digital and on YouTube and those kinds of places, Twitch or whatever. And that's where I'm meeting the audience and having success with it. People think I'm nuts. Some of the things I do on social media.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I do things that are... Man in the street kind of stuff. I do, well, I do man on the street. Every single journalist has done man on the streets. And that's where the real, that's where you, you want to be where the people are. You want to know what they're saying. I love the people, John. No, seriously, you do. I do.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And if people who are sitting in studios, you know, you know, on a nightly basis and talking to people with suits on and ties or cocktail dresses about They're not getting to the heart of what's happening. But I'm having fun. They're the kind of people who harass you later at the party. Yeah. Tell me about it. Especially if it's a Republican event.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That never happened to me there, but I'm not surprised. Grindr, by the way, crashes during the Republican convention. Phil, where have you been? Are you kidding me? You don't know this? No. Are you serious? No, I'm not in that world. Why would I know that? Well, I mean, it's just been reported. Like, people, like, it's a thing. People know.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, I think it's because they're so repressed and they can't, because they can't be themselves because they, you know, they're kind of have this whole thing about homosexuality or being gay. Oh, very much so. Yeah, you watch CNN, right? Do you know Bakari Sellers? Sure. So Bakari Sellers is a friend. And on inauguration night 2017, Bakari says, let's go to the Trump Hotel.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And I said, are you kidding me? No way I'm not going there. And he said, why? They're not going to out-protect you. I'm like, no, not against. I'm not afraid of anyone beating me up because I'll kick their ass. There's so much rage inside of this body. I'll kick their ass. And he said, why don't you want to go?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I said, because I am seeing someone, number one, and I don't want to be hit on so much by it. And he goes, you gay guys, you want every straight guy to be gay? I'm like, no. And he said, come with me. I said, okay. So I go. Everyone's buying me drinks. Don Lemon is here. Blah, blah, blah. And then all of these guys are over talking to me. And sort of rubbing up against me and whatever.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And Bakari's like, oh, my God. You're right. I have no idea. He had no idea. And I don't think they're doing it to just normal heterosexual men. I think they're doing it to gay men who they know because they know that they're gay. And so they're shooting their shot. I hate to say that, but it's the truth.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Still, you're a comedian. It's part of its comedy.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Let's be honest. There's a huge faction of the MAGA community movement that's really fucking racist?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I would say huge. And even if they're not, you have to overlook a lot of that in order to support Donald Trump, which I think is maybe even more egregious than just saying I'm a racist. So what do you think is the worst
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I always say you can be informed without being inundated. And it's good for me that, you know, I'm not on cable news anymore because I would just, I'd have to absorb all of it 24 seven, because you know, what do you, they're always in touch. As you know, you have a show, what do you want to do with this? This guest is on this canceled, blah, blah, blah. And so you were sort of in it. Um,
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Well, first it's the electorate. Not everybody votes. And I think most of the people in America don't vote. And I don't think it's half the country. So what I'm saying is I don't think half the country is racist. And I don't think all of MAGA is racist. But I do think that there's a huge element in the MAGA party that is racist, whether they are conscious of it or not. Some of them are not.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And if they are not, they have had to overlook racism. A lot of racism and a lot of bigotry. And if you do that and you say, I'm okay with this, I think that makes you worse than someone who just says, hey, I'm a racist, and they tell you.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
For too much DEI. I don't think those people understand what DEI is. DEI is not the hiring of black people who are not qualified. It can be. No, no, no. That's not what it's about.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Anything can be. Yes, of course it could have that result, but there's no evidence that it does have that result. Oh, I don't know about that. Okay, so then what is your evidence? There's no evidence that there is that result. If you can show me the evidence, then okay, then I will agree with you. Well, I'm not going to name any names.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Okay, but diversity, equity, inclusion, first of all, is not, maybe they're talking about affirmative action, which is a whole different thing, which is about making sure you hired a certain number of people that are this, that, and that. But diversity, equity, and inclusion is about making sure that the pool of candidates is larger.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So if you are fishing, rather than fishing in a swimming pool, maybe you're in a pond. Rather than fishing in a pond, you're in a lake or maybe in a lake instead of a river or in a river and you're in the ocean. So you're just trying to find different people and you're trying to increase the number of options of qualified people that you can hire.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's not about hiring people who are not qualified and who are just black. The biggest recipient of DEI is white women. And also veterans because of veterans and also people who are disabled people. It's just about making sure that disabled people have a ramp somewhere at work so that they get to work.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But now I find that I can go in and out of it whenever I want. And I read the headlines. I read the papers. You do your YouTube show. And I do my show with what I need to. So isn't that the same kind of prep? Yes and no. So with the YouTube show, with my show, the Don Lemon show on YouTube, I don't have to pretend. And I don't have to... John, we know you're gay. What? You don't have to pretend.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Equity is we're going- It's quotas. I don't think that everybody, America's never been about everybody getting an equal shot.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I agree, but I think the people who are disagreeing about it, they need to understand exactly what it is. I think people who disagree may not understand what it is. Now, I have an issue with DEI because I think when you make it a religion, then you end up with the Al Franken's of the world of people who get canceled and they use the DEI stuff to get rid of people.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But I think you have to understand what the real definition is and that people have sort of co-opted it. And I think if you believe as in the definition that the MAGA Trump administration that they're saying what DEI is, that is a racist definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion. What is it?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
They're saying that this is because they're hiring people, women, people of color, minorities who are not qualified. And that's not what is happening.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Oh. But that would be saying that no white people were ever unqualified. Oh, and we know lots of them have. Yeah. And so when you're – most of the people who are – they talk about the airplanes and the airplane industry. Most of the pilots and the people who are white. Most of the doctors in the country where they say DEI, we don't want it, we don't hate. Most of the doctors are white.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And so all of those malpractice suits are against mostly white doctors. Most of the planes that fall out of the sky are piloted by white pilots. Yes. then what is your issue then with diversity, equity, and inclusion? I don't have one. No, I'm not saying you. I'm talking about the understood you.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
What is your issue then if there is no evidence that by hiring a bigger pool of people... No, I think there is evidence.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's disingenuous. Okay, I understand what you're saying. I shouldn't say I don't disagree with you. I understand what you're saying. But that one example, as opposed to the, hang on, as opposed to the millions of examples of people who are not diverse, as they say, who have been hired and unqualified, I think that that is, that's Apple's, that's like this and that.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, so I understand, but you, so a couple of things here. You're saying, I'm talking to you about what diversity, equity, and inclusion actually is. Nothing that we do ever is perfect, right? Your show is not perfect, right? So, okay. So there, there, this is, so you're talking that that's, let's put that aside, but you're talking about reasons that people vote for Donald Trump.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't disagree with you. But some of those reasons are not based in reality, and they're irrational, and some of them are very rational. So to vote for someone who you think is looking out for you is very rational. But it doesn't mean that you're voting for that person on the basis of something that is actually rational. I mean, people are not rational at all about anything. Okay, yeah.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So I don't disagree with you about why people are voting for Donald Trump.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't think that life in general, if you're just talking about life, I don't think that it's rational. I just think sometimes it's very random. Okay. I couldn't agree with you more. And you just sort of deal with the random nature of life the best way that you can and you have to have a good attitude about it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't have to pretend that... I don't have to give false equivalents. I don't have to invite someone on to lie. I don't have to have an election denier on. I don't have to. If I want to, I do. And it's all my decision. So I've chosen not to, in many ways, insult the viewer's intelligence by just having someone on purposely who's going to lie or just to fight. I get that.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And it's best to like either, sometimes it's best to just go with the tide.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That's what I do. And hope you don't get washed up on shore. I agree 100%. And that's the time that we're in right now. What do you mean? When you said someone steps on you, sting them. Well, I'm a jellyfish. Yeah, if you're a jellyfish. But I think there are too many people just sort of laying back and not stinging, like the Democrats are not stinging.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So I said, Oh yeah, this is what the Democrats were doing at the convention. And I wrote on a piece of, on a tablet. And I said, Trump bad. I was like, Trump bad. And they were like, and I'm like, yes, Trump is bad. Musk mean. Musk is so mean. So it's like, if you're going to fight back, shouldn't you be stronger about fighting back?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
There's a lot there, Bill. I think that Trump is, fortunately or unfortunately, able to live an existence where he doesn't have to rely on facts.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It is amazing. Because, again, a lot of folks, especially in this streaming thing that we're in, you don't have to deal with facts. You don't have to deal with reality. And Trump is a shapeshifter. He shapes reality into whatever he wants. wants it to be. But he doesn't have to live in that. And I think Democrats demand of their people that everything has to be factual and blah, blah, blah.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think the Tea Party created that. And then Donald Trump.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think you were the first to say that. He wouldn't leave. He wouldn't leave. But I was the first to actually call him a liar on TV. And I was the first to actually call him racist on TV. And maybe that's why I'm not on TV anymore. But I do think that he was the recipient of what the Tea Party started. But he, on steroids, he was the recipient of that.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But on steroids, Donald Trump says, I don't give a fuck. Don't give a fuck. And he does whatever he wants.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah, and amen. I think it's appealing to a degree. But I think at some point you have to give a fuck because you have to care about People, if you are a public servant, then you have to care about the people and actually working for them. I will name the person who most exemplifies. I've been using the thing you're using. Do you mind if I use my hand?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't believe that just one side lies. But, I mean, I think you should have people on who can tell the story on the other side. But I don't have to book people just to fight. I hate that.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You're right, he will always have fans, but my question is why? Why be an anti-Semite?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't think it's that. I think when people do that, it's the shortest line to the front of either promotion, And whatever sense it is, it could be promoting a product, it could be promoting themselves, and you are doing something that is out of the box to get attention just for the sake of getting attention or just for the sake of pure ambition, right?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
where the same thing when I see, not all black Republicans, but I see a black MAGA person who is carrying Donald Trump's water and they know that he's lying, it is the shortest line to the front. Because if you're black and you're whatever, you're just in line with a bunch of other Democrats that are doing the same thing that you're doing.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But if you become a black MAGA person, it's like, whoa, let's book this person, let's put him on television.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, as you said, I don't think that... I just said I think there can be sincere Republicans. But you can't be a sincere black Republican? I don't think that you can be a rational MAGA, be black and be a rational MAGA person. I think you can be black and be a Republican. I think they would find that very insulting. Well, I mean, the truth is often insulting.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't think you're hearing me. I said that I believe that black people can be Republicans. Remember, there were lots of Republicans. Frederick Douglass. It was different in those eras. It was different. I was a Republican, by the way. I started as a Republican. Is that right? Yes. So I think that a lot of what MAGA does is irrational, and it's often based in lies, and it's not factual.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Well, it wasn't just because I actually got, I thought, excuse me, I got more out of that show than most news shows on television back then. Yeah. But there were fights, but I thought they were organic. Cable news is not booking organic fights anymore, organic guests. They're booking people to come on. and yell at each other because they're desperate for ratings.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's people that you said you don't like, people who deny elections, who deny insurrections, or whatever. So that's the MAGA party. That is the MAGA party. I'm not saying that's all Republicans. So for a person of color, a black person, to lend their, to believe in that when it is based in irrationality and a lot of it is based in racism. For me, I have lots of questions about that.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And you can't be so. But it doesn't, because I am, Because I can see what is happening and I live in reality, it doesn't mean that I hate anyone. I don't hate anyone. I don't hate Donald Trump. I don't hate MAGA. Right. Right? But I understand that MAGA is based on that you were not born in this country. MAGA is based on Mexicans are rapists. MAGA is based on...
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
that Donald Trump did not inspire an election. MAGA is based on Donald Trump didn't try to overturn an election. MAGA is based on Donald Trump, they don't believe that he was found guilty in a court of law. So it's built on lies. So that's why I question that. To understand and to be able to see through that, it doesn't mean that you hate people.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It just means that you're being rational and logical. As I said, I think there are black Republicans. I was one. I think that's all fine. But I think that MAGA is, I think it's, you know, it's problematic and it's based on lies and racism. And that doesn't mean I hate those people. I actually kind of feel sorry for them.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You think your old network does that? I think they all, I don't want to specifically, I think they all do. Not they all do. MSNBC doesn't because you don't see people on there who disagree. I see many of them do. Some of them do. Fox does it, I believe. They invite a Democrat on or someone left-leaning just to yell at them. And I do see some cable shows doing that, which is, for me,
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm not a morning person. Me neither. I hate the morning. I hate waking up in the morning. I like to wake up in the afternoon. I'm like... All the way into the afternoon. I like to rise at the crack of noon. My father used to say that. Usually I like to rise at about 11, maybe 10, but 11. Because I am a night owl. That's exactly what I do. Right.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But now, because I want people to be informed about what's happening, I think we have to have an informed electorate. I wake up at like 8, 8.30. I do a live 10 o'clock show on YouTube, the Don Lemon Show. Every day I do a live show, live stream. Why is it got to be so early? 10 a.m. because most people
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
are starting their day and are going about their day and i think they need to be informed and i think that there is um there was a need for content there and for people to to understand what was happening and um um and i don't think anyone was fulfilling that and so lucky i only have to show up in makeup once a week at four o'clock on friday afternoon well i used to have to show up at makeup at nine o'clock and eastern every night and that's it and then go on at 10 but
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, that's fulfilling for you. That was fulfilling for me at the moment. But this is what's fulfilling to me now. And I do a live stream or a live show every day at 5 Eastern as well. I do two live shows a day.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That guy cannot be intimidated. But is that something that's admirable? No. Should we celebrate that? I'm not celebrating it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But that's one thing that's also, when people do that, that's a sign of your relevance. It does. Where you are in the culture. Right. And so you don't hear that much anymore, do you?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You know, it's a word that I would never even think about saying. It's a great word. And people say that I love that word. It's a great word. It's a word that I would never even think of saying. I think the gays should take it over. It's hard for us to do that because the gays love women.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But it's different. The British press, they have a different sense of everything.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Rust. Rust. It's unbelievable. We have a word for that. The gays have a word for that. Do you want to hear it? I want to know everything about it. It's called bussy.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
How do men have sex? What do they do if they do? Usually. They do it in the naughty place. What is the naughty place called?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
At the end of the fight or the argument, I wonder, like, what did I get out of this? I usually don't get anything out of it. And I think people need to be informed more than ever now. I know you think, like, broadcast TV is dead. I think I heard you say that. No, I don't think broadcast TV is dead. I think it's on the decline.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You don't have to preface it. Just ask me the question.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Well, I mean, if you look in nature, the homosexuality is in it. Even in animals. Even in animals. And sometimes there are two members of the same sex who can actually repopulate or whatever. But sex is not necessarily for... Yeah. I think worms. Sex is not necessarily for repopulation because, I mean, how many kids do you have? I've never been married. Okay. I'm way behind.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
How often have you had sex? Today? Yeah. Zero. Okay. And have you helped to repopulate the earth?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The anthropological explanation of homosexuality?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't know if nature wants it. Maybe it's population control. Is that what you're going to say? Maybe it's population control. Maybe it is not such an egregious thing except for religion. Correct. It's not egregious at all. Okay. So then that's what I'm saying. So why does nature want it?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Maybe nature wants it because it actually feels good and because it's actually normal and because of people's religious beliefs. Right.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't think it has as much influence as it... Did you say that when you used to be on it? Yeah. Yeah. No, I was on broadcast TV for a while, but do you mean cable? You mean just in general? Well, I mean, broadcast cable.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And some people like you, remember we had this conversation the other week at a party. A couple things. We did? At a party? Wait a second. We were at a party, and I think that you were.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It was a schlubby jacket. I love Ari. Don't get me wrong. We were friends. It was a schlubby jacket. I just said, this is Hollywood. You know, we know this shit. Yeah. And I told him, I said, Ari, you need a gay friend, remember? You need a gay best friend. You need a gay best friend.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And we were talking about, like, you know, I think we were talking about attraction and who we were dating or something. Right. And I don't know if it was you. Maybe it was you. I don't know. But, like, you are a heterosexual.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You are a heterosexual guy. You're not attracted to men, and that's okay. But there are some men who may choose to spend their life married to a woman or being in a relationship with a woman, but they may find gay sex interesting. In the bathroom at the Four Seasons in Maui. But if we didn't have such a thing about it, they wouldn't have to do that. Of course. No. I know. And the same thing.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, maybe there are some gay men. Maybe once in a while I might like to hang out with a woman. Oh, they all do. Yeah, once in a while. I do. I mean, I like boobs. Really? Yeah, I like boobs. I think they're beautiful. I like the way they look. Yeah, they're okay. You're an ass man.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You like the cha-cha? Or that the midsection of the body.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, heterosexual, excuse me. I'm 100% heterosexual? It's because you're okay with it and you get it. Totally. Like if I, you cannot say, you cannot make yourself be with someone that you're not attracted to. No.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Uh, no, I mean, it makes, I think it makes a lot of people uncomfortable. PDA makes me uncomfortable. Um, you know, seeing a man and a woman kiss on television or movie doesn't make me uncomfortable, but sometimes in public, I'm like, okay, guys, I don't really need to. Right. I agree.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And I, maybe it's my internalized homophobia, but sometimes it makes me uncomfortable to see like two men kissing or whatever. And I'm like, why don't I feel that about women? Because it's much more accepted in culture and society. And guys are like, oh my gosh, this is hot. And so I think maybe it's just sort of environment and training.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You can put it on TV if you want. I don't give a shit. Well. I didn't like, you know, it wasn't...
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I've been really surprised by, yes, you're right about that. They don't trust it because they don't trust the corporate influence. you know, and then, look, in order to stay afloat, they need corporations to own them, right? But they just don't, I think people believe, and rightfully so, that the corporation is influencing. That's part of it, but that's, well, it is.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And so I was renting, and then on Friday night, this restaurant called Allman, on Friday night, it's gay night. And so you go, everybody's there, all the gays that you would know, famous gays, not famous gays, everybody. And the other night, it's hetero? Heterosexual. Heterosexual.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
They do. That happens. And they walk in. Yes, it happens. And they're like, holy shit, what's going on? Really? Yeah. So I'd rented the year before that, but I didn't go to the bar or whatever because I was just kind of like getting used to whatever. So we rented in 2015. I'm like, I was single. You know, I was just starting CNN. I was like, you know, in prime time. It was great.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I was living the life. And then, so I was there one night and I met this guy. He had a boyfriend. He talked to me or whatever. So when I met my now husband, he had a boyfriend. I'm not a homewrecker. And so we became friends. And I had this, is this going on too long? No. I had this inflatable paddleboard that I would take with me to the beach. And I couldn't get it back.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
This sounds so bougie because I got, I was, I would go to the Hamptons in a helicopter because I bought these things in a helicopter and I couldn't, it was too heavy for the helicopter. And he drove back cause he was from, um, he actually grew up in the Hamptons.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah, I know. So he grew up in the Hamptons and he, uh, took my paddleboard in the car back to the city and it sat in his apartment for a year. Wait, why did he take it? Because he was in a car. The weight was too heavy for the helicopter. Oh, okay. And so he had a car. He drove it back. It sat in his apartment for a year. And I would see him at events and he'd go, you got to get your paddleboard.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm like, yeah, I'm so sorry. You can bring it. He goes, no big deal. And so then the next summer I bought a house there. And so because his family is from there, he would start to come over to the house. And we became friends. And one day in the summer, he came over in the morning, we went for a run. And I said, you know, you're going to be my husband one day, right? He's like, wait, what?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And I just had this sort of premonition thing. So he came over at like nine in the morning and we went for a run. And then at nine at night, he was still there. We had spent the day together and he was still seeing someone. And I said, um, I'm not a homewrecker. Whenever you're seeing somebody, I can't see you anymore because I'm starting to have feelings and this is weird. I didn't realize it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And so he's like, okay. And then like a month later, he broke up with his boyfriend. We went out on our first date. Sounds like you are a homewrecker. On election night. Sounds exactly like what a homewrecker does. No, I told him not to. It was his decision to break up with his boyfriend. We went on our first date, election night, 2016. Well, okay. When Trump was elected.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But also, they're not holding people to account, and also that they are, they're just not doing a very good job at At some things. You know why I don't trust it? Why?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That's exactly what a homewrecker does. They say...
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And it lasted 10 years, obviously. Well, it was election night 2016, almost 10 years. And we got, we went on a date. It was funny because we were at this huge, can I tell you about this party?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You know who had, who was holding the party? P. Diddy. No. Close. Close. Kanye?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Movies. R. Kelly. No. Okay, I'm hoping for the movie.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It was worse than those three. Seriously. So Harvey Weinstein invited me to a party, an election night watch party at Cipriani in New York City. And I wasn't on that night because that's when the political folks were all on. And so I said, sure, I'll go. And then I asked my now husband, Tim, if he wanted to go. And I said, sure. And so we walked in a little bit early.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
We met like downtown and we walked in and he was not used to going out with me. He had, you know, didn't know. And he, they, you know, they expand the tables. They put like a board on top of the table. And he sat down and kicked it over. That was our first night. And so then, you know, didn't that give you the ick? No, I mean, it was, I was just like, oh, he was embarrassed.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But then, you know, who was there? Um, Governor Cuomo was there. Miles Teller was there. Martha Stewart was there. Like, just all the folks. And they were all, like, many of the people there were like, oh, she's got Florida. No, no, no. She's got Pennsylvania. She's got that. And I'm looking at the CNN thing going. So Tim and I looked at each other and said, let's get the fuck out of here.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So then we went to the Polo Bar to meet my agent. And then that was our first date, and that's where our reception was at the Polo Bar. Well, I must say, I find this story very inspiring. Boring. No, no, no.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
We don't have to leave the bar. That's lesbians. Lesbians, they hook up the first night and then the U-Haul happens the next day.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Okay, can I tell you something that I think may surprise you?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think people should be having fun and I've certainly, look, I have gone to heterosexual swingers clubs. So the heterosexuals are just as kinky as the gay people, maybe even more. But I think that that was a part of gay culture and I actually liked it when gay people were kind of, you know, a little bit different, a little bit of, you know what I mean? We were kind of dangerous or whatever.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And now we've become so heteronormative. It's boring sometimes. Most of my friends have kids. And so I understand that. And if you're two men and you're just having fun, I don't put a judgment on sex and what people do. As long as it's two consenting adults, I don't really give a shit.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think it's both. Look at the competition, as you said. So you've got to take care of your body. You've got to look good if you're a gay man. There's lots of competition. There's a certain look, like agents. have a certain look. Don't you think?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
They have the suit coat on and the leisure pants and the sneakers and the sport jacket. I can't even put it in words, but it's just something, it's a good haircut.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I understand what you're saying. Some people are going to say my knees being very, you know, sort of stereotypical or whatever. But because we come in all shapes and sizes. No, they're generally better looking. The out ones are generally better looking. Right. Because there are a lot of them that are not out, and they're not generally better looking. I'm sure that's true, too. Yeah.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Now people are out. Now, absolutely. I don't think anyone gives a shit. I mean, look. Nobody does. Well, there are certain people. The criticism of me, if you read the comments on my channel or whatever on social media, it's always something that's gay, he's a homo, it's whatever, he's blowing people, whatever.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I mean, but do you read your social media a lot? No, but the guys send me like, oh my gosh, they'll say this one was really good. This one wasn't so great. This one like, oh my God, I can't believe the trolls on that. And then, but when I'm on, the difference between, pardon me, being on linear television and doing what I'm doing, I see, I can see the audience. The numbers are there.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It's in real time. It's not just minute to minute that you get the Nielsen ratings. It's in real time, so I can see how people are engaged, and I'm reading the comments from the people who are streaming with us at the same time. So you know it's much closer to the bone than television. It's much more real. And you do that? You follow it along like that?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I follow it along, but I don't let the engagement... determine what I'm talking about or what I think is important just because it's absolutely 100%.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah, they didn't like what I said about Joe Biden during the election. They didn't like some of the things I said about Kamala Harris during the election. They didn't like that I was interviewing people as I was going around the country during the election. And there were a lot of people telling me, I heard a lot of Trump out there. And so I knew before everyone else, like,
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm hearing a lot of Trump. I contacted the campaign. I'm like, you guys have a problem, especially with black men. Never contacted me back. But I knew before that they were in trouble and my subscribers didn't really like it. And I said, you may not like it. I want you to stick with me, but I'm not going to tell you something just because I think you want to hear it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm always going to be honest with you. And a lot of the streamers and podcasters who are more progressive or to the left or center or whatever, they lost a lot of subscribers after the election. I didn't. It was the exact opposite. And I think that's because I was honest with my audience. So yes, I can be honest with myself. I mean, that's certainly my formula.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I am. I thank you. I appreciate that. And I, I appreciate the platform that, That you have, when people ask me, what do you want to do? What's your ultimate goal? And I said, I would like to have a platform like Bill Maher. I don't want to be Bill Maher. But where there's honesty. You said earlier, you can't do that in television.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think folks in television now should start serving people what they want instead of what they think that they want. Instead of what the bosses and the people in the C-suite want.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I usually just like, you know, my... What are you drinking there? Nothing? Reposado, Casa Azul Reposado with some lime. Jesus, you are gay. Yeah. Reposado, what the fuck is that?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
It tastes like a freaking 7-Up now. What did you do? Like a Fanta. People like 7-Up. They're diluted with this. It's just too... No, I would like this maybe if I'm drinking water during the day. I don't think I necessarily want it in my tequila. I think you'll like it after that. No, I would prefer a sparkling. I'm going to do a sparkling. Okay.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That's not what I'm saying. I'm not saying it should go in that. What I'm saying is, is that people should be more honest in their conversations. And because in conversations, people say dumb things, they make mistakes. And I don't think people should be canceled for that. I think that I actually think in television, they should be applauded for that because it makes it better television.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But I also think that linear television would not be quite in the position that it is now with people who are unsubscribing or people who are cutting the cord if they actually had more interesting people on, more people like you and more people like me. Right. And they said, we're not going to cancel. We're not going to go for the woke left or the woke right. You know there's a woke right, right?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Trump canceled AP, the Associated Press, because they wouldn't call it the stupid Gulf of America.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
To both sides. Something that they think is right, they just feed it, and then something they think is left. Yeah, but that That's always been the case, don't you think? Not this bad. No, no, no, I don't.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The Associated Press is not the newspaper. I get my stuff from the Associated Press. I have a respect for them.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm glad you mentioned that, except I forgot about this earlier. But don't you think that's kind of your show? You're the interpreter on the show.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Oh, my friend invited me. I didn't go. I wasn't. Why? I was in New York. Lee Daniels said, do you want to be my date to the Vanity Fair? I've gone. I just didn't. I was in New York. What? What a dick. Should I have gone? Of course.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Now you're making me feel bad. Yes. And you would have went with Lee Daniels. That's cool. Lee's a friend. He's good.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I haven't. I love Tyler, but I haven't seen all the movies. But you were mentioning, you were talking about the, I'm getting it now from the left. I'm getting it now.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But there's a way to do it that they're not doing it, and I think they feel weak. And I also think the people, and look, again, I don't want to keep beating up on the Democrats. I do. I'm not a Democrat. I'm an independent. I do. I don't want to keep beating up on them. I think that they should be the bulwark between us and democracy and craziness, and they're not very good at it.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think that they have people in place who are not very good at leadership. Look, Hakeem Jeffries can hate me. People are mad at me. I don't think he's a person that should be leading the Democratic Party. You know what?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think behind the scenes, he's very good. He's very good at, I'm sure, negotiating and coming up with a plan. I feel the same way about I love Nancy Pelosi. I think she's a very smart woman. But I think that era of the Nancy Pelosi type in the Democratic Party is over.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think that this is the era of whether, and I didn't like her policies at first, and I'm not necessarily in love with their policies, but people love AOC. People love Jasmine Crockett. People love Eric Swalwell. And the like. And I think that the Democratic Party should put the people out there who the people want.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
They should put the politicians out there who the people want, who they're asking for, who are meeting the moment with the same energy. They're not asking for AOC.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The people you party with are. No, no, no. The people I party with don't like AOC. Oh, please. No, they don't at all. Well, most people don't. But she's very far left. Let me tell you why I'm saying that. Because AOC, because people will vote for AOC and Donald Trump on the same ticket because they're authentic. No, because they're authentic. I don't think that. Okay.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That doesn't mean she doesn't struggle. That doesn't mean that she was set down. It implies it. But that doesn't mean that she was set down in a Hispanic ghetto in the Bronx and had to deal with that growing up and that she's come from a working class family.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't know if she's behind the eight ball, but I don't think she's as privileged as many people who are in Congress right now. Is that privilege or not? She was a bartender. Yeah. So I was a delivery boy. I don't agree with her policies, but I'm saying sometimes, just Bill, you don't agree with Donald Trump's policies.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But that's what the people want. Some of them. Whether you like her or not, I don't like what she did with Amazon in New York, but I think AOC is, and she's a Democratic icon.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Well, she's a wrong, if you think that's the direction, the country, the Democratic- I'm not saying the policies that she espouses, that's the direction, but I'm saying that you have to give the people who are, the people who are out front speaking for the party, not the people who are- If you think- She's evolving-
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And she is moving into— Right. She understands the game a little bit more. And if you notice, she is sort of becoming a sort of normal kind of Democrat in many ways. Yeah. I think she's evolving. Okay, great. It's a very smart tactic there.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Roll call. Keep them waiting. Lemon, keep them waiting. Try to intimidate them. Come in. What time is it? It's 5.30.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The other side should, I don't believe that they should not be as crazy. Why not? Crazy in what way? Like the guy who was shaking his cane? You said the only thing that Democrats should be is not be as crazy as Donald Trump, but why not?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The fake State of the Union. It was the joint address to Congress. Luckily, I had a joint when I was watching it. Is it better to watch high? Everything's better high, Don. Don't you get high? Can we get back to the New York Times? I don't disagree with you on some things about the New York Times, but I do believe it's still the paper of record. I used to.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
So I don't know a lot of that, if I can disagree with you on, because this is where the conservative side of me comes out. Like, I think people should be tough on crime as a, someone who has witnessed one of those people running out of the CVS or the, the pharmacy in a big bag. It is very disconcerting and that should not happen.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I wish I should say, I wish that would not happen and it shouldn't happen. And so, but there are things that go beyond that. that I think about, like, how do we help this person not having to feel like they need to go to rob a place? And I think for me, There are folks who think about those things just further beyond just like, what is the problem? But what is the solution?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And I think for me, you're not going to like this, but I think the party that's looking out for that now, whether they are terrible or doing it the wrong way, is the Democratic Party.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But to get around... I'm glad that... that i think la you said a da a district attorney right elected a district attorney that can go up against a liberal or whatever mayor and that they can somehow yeah work it out right they'll meet they'll have a consensus and it won't be in a grief fest and so i think that that's good actually do you have kids i don't have kids that i know about
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
No, no, you act like I've never been with a woman. What are you talking about?
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Oh, so like you were not gay for a while, like when you were young and figuring it out? So there's like a gay, I forget, but like the platinum is that you've never been with a woman, like, And then there, you know, there's like a gold, a platinum and something. I don't know these actual things, but there are certain levels of gay. Wow.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Oh, no, it's been since the 90s. Okay. Early 2000s. Okay. No, late 90s. Let's put it that way. It's been a while, but I've been with women. We'll say right around the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I used to read the New York Times and then the Washington Post. And the Washington Post, I found, was much more straightforward than the New York Times. I thought that the writing in the New York Times was much more interesting and flowery and perhaps that may have sort of influenced people. But then I read it and I said, you know what? After a while.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I didn't swear. I didn't swear it off. I was just like, Hey, there's something else I'd rather have.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But I got to tell you, I'm kind of gay, and I have been with women before. But I really like being alone. It doesn't mean I don't love my marriage, but I love. Me too. I loved living alone. So how do you handle that in a marriage? It's really tough for me. I got to be honest. It's really tough for me. I could not agree more. Because I am so used to it. I didn't get married until I was.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But your confirmed bachelor's, you said if a guy is 70, he's either gay or what did you say? I'd say either you don't like girls or you like them a lot. Yes. Okay, so you're on the I like them a lot part.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I like them a lot. There could have been that element for me on the other side. That was part of it. But the biggest part of it is that I liked myself and I liked being alone. I loved living alone. But I also love having a husband. But there are times when I say. Did his family accept you readily and lovingly? You mean, did I accept them? I mean, okay, yeah, sure.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I think it was an insult to just ask that. I'm just saying. Yes, of course. No, because he's a white guy, right? I would not have expected anything else. It was just a question. But, yeah, he's a white guy. Okay, I'm assuming the white people are bad in that question. Okay? So I'm defending my in-laws. No. So listen, I think... I think, you know, my husband is a, his family is devout Catholics.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
He's an Irish Catholic, church, mass, whatever. Every Sunday, like these are really great people. Like during the pandemic, one of his family members filmed the mass because he couldn't go to church and videotaped it, right? So they're a family that is entrenched. What a good idea for a silly superstition. For a silly superstition. So yeah, they accepted me. They're amazing.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
They never even, I don't, look, they never said to me that they thought twice about it, but I consider them my family and I'm as close to them as I am my blood family.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
The gay black part is like the least of it. There are other things that they should be like, that guy, fuck that guy. We don't want him going out. Are you a lot older than your husband? I'm just, I'm making up. But like, I think the gay and the black part is like not as egregious. What is your age difference? 19 years, almost 20 years.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I said, this is a more left-leaning message than the Washington Post. But the Washington Post now, I don't know what the fuck is going on with them and Jeff Bezos.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I don't care. If I cared, I would not be married to who I'm married to and would not have the age difference. Well, I hope the next time your guy is out here with you that you'll have dinner. We'll come over. We love, I'm only- Oh, we can go out to a restaurant. I'm only a few blocks from you. It took me three minutes to get here. Let's not say where I live. Oh, sorry. I mean, this is-
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
You talked about it. You showed pictures when you couldn't get the solar panels. All kinds of shit. Yeah. Anyway, thanks, man. Thank you. This was such a fun thing. Oh, my gosh. Really? Did you enjoy this? Well, we were here for like two hours, so I must have... I can be a little, you know... This podcast is brought to you by Aura.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
All women are bi. You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual. Something like that. That makes more sense. You're high. I'm high.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yes, they have. Well, two things. I wouldn't know about what you're talking about. I'm joking. It's kind of my story. Read the piece. Yeah, but I get it. But I mean, I'm talking about the content in the Post. I understand. I agree with you on the fallout. I think it's ridiculous.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
But on the contents, at least the people who are writing for the Washington Post, I think that they are really good journalists and they tend not to be as biased or as left.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Yeah, but what you're talking about is ridiculous. And I think, look, that's the reason I think that Democrats are in the place that they're in now is because of shit like that. Of course. And because they get rid of their strongest allies for some stupid thing that no one is perfect. Look at Al Franken. It was the dumbest thing that I've ever seen. I had a really tough time. I'm in New York.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I had a really tough time, like, you know, filling in the dot for Kristen Gillibrand because she did that into such, you know, virtue signaling.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I'm just guessing. I would. I've been harassed by women and men in the work. And some things are not even, it's just, it's ridiculous. Now look. Tell us. I'm very interested. There are some things that are. No, no, no. I'm interested in this. There are some things that are really egregious, right? And that, but not everything is Harvey Weinstein level. No, that's right. And then some of the, right.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
That's a whole different story. I'm not talking about that. And I'm not saying it makes it right, but I remember when I was in Atlanta and I was in the cafeteria, commissary, whatever. At CNN? At CNN. And this woman, young lady, tweaked my nipples and said, oh, it's cold in here. And I said, okay, you realize if I did that, they'd be walking me out the door right now. But I didn't care.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
I didn't go to HR. I didn't say anything because I was just like, it's a double standard. Good for you. And also, but I've never told this story as well, someone who I worked with also harassed me at CNN. And I never went to management. First of all, I was so new there. A man or a woman? A woman. And she knew I was gay. And it was just bizarre. She was going through a divorce. It was just weird.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
And I never went to management. First of all, I thought like, okay, they may find a way to get rid of me because... If I tell this story, I don't know if they're going to believe me or not. But then she was so mean to me after that. I said, I should have told the story. But yeah, I've been harassed by men and women.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
Come in and twirl for me, Don? It wasn't a twirl for me, but it was not in the office. But yeah, that's all. I won't go that far.
Club Random with Bill Maher
Don Lemon | Club Random
A lot of cocktail parties. And remember, this was a while ago and there was not Uber or anything like that. And if you are in Atlanta, their taxis aren't available. And so, you know, you say, hey, you know, I'm going to, we've had a couple of drinks. And do you mind if I like, you know, or whatever? No, no, no. Don't go home. Stay in the guest room. That sort of thing. So, yeah. The guest room?
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
the same thing when I see not all black Republicans, but I see a black MAGA person who is carrying Donald Trump's water and they know that he's lying, it is the shortest line to the front. Because if you're black and you're whatever, you're just in line with a bunch of other Democrats that are doing the same thing that you're doing.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
But if you become a black MAGA person, it's like, whoa, let's book this person, let's put him on television. So you don't think you can be a sincere black MAGA person? No, as you said, I don't think that... I just said I think there can be sincere Republicans. But you can't be a sincere black Republican. I don't think that you can be a rational MAGA, be black and be a rational MAGA person.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
I think you can be black and be a Republican. I think they would find that very insulting. Well, I mean, the truth is often insulting.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
Because black people, if you really want to fix the problem, here's just five things that you should think about doing. Here's number five. And if this doesn't apply to you, if you're not doing this, then it doesn't apply to you. I'm not talking about you. Here's number five. Pull up your pants. Some people, a lot of them black, gave me flack for saying that recently on the Wendy Williams show.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
Sounds like a MAGA guy. If you're sagging, it means I think it's your self-esteem is sagging and who you are as a person. It's sagging. Young people need to be taught respect and there are rules. Don, what a radical. Whether it's Justin Bieber or no-name Derek around the way, walking around with your ass and your underwear showing is not okay.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
In fact, it comes from prison when they take away belts from the prisoner so that they can't make a weapon. And then it evolved into which role a prisoner would have during male-on-male prison sex. The one with the really low pants is a submissive one. You get my point? Number four now is the N-word.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
I understand poetic license, but consider this. I hosted a special on the N-word suggesting that black people stop using it and that entertainers stop deluding yourselves or themselves and others that you're somehow taking the word back.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
By promoting the use of that word when it's not germane to the conversation, have you ever considered that you may just be perpetuating the stereotype the master intended, acting like a nigger? A lot of African-Americans took offense to that, too, and I wondered if I gave the right advice. I really did.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
But confirmation came the very next day on my way home when I exited the subway on 125th Street in Harlem. This little kid in a school uniform, no older than seven years old, he was crying his eyes out as he walked down the sidewalk with his mother. I'm going to be honest here. She turned to him and she said, I'm sick of you. You act like an old ass man. Stop all that crying, nigger.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
Isn't that taking the word back? Think about that. Now, number three, respect where you live. Start small by not dropping trash, littering in your own communities. I've lived in several predominantly white neighborhoods in my life. I rarely, if ever, witness people littering. I live in Harlem now. It's an historically black neighborhood.
PBD Podcast
Trump's Biden Bombshell: Pardons Are VOID & VACANT | PBD Podcast | Ep. 562
Every single day, I see adults and children dropping their trash on the ground.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
The future looks bright. A handshake is better than anything I ever saw. It's right here.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
Go ahead. I've been harassed by women and men in the work. And some things are not even it's ridiculous. Now, look, tell us.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
There are some things that are no, no, no. I'm interested in this. There are some things that are really egregious. Right. And then not but not everything is Harvey Weinstein level. And so that's right. And then some of the right. That's a whole different story. I'm not talking about that. And I'm not saying it makes it right. But.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
I remember when I was in Atlanta and I was in the cafeteria, commissary, whatever.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
At CNN. And this woman, young lady, tweaked my nipples and said, oh, it's cold in here. And I said, okay, you realize if I did that, they'd be walking me out the door right now. But I didn't care. I didn't go to HR. I didn't say anything because I was just like, it's a double standard.
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
Someone who I work with also harassed me at CNN. And I never went to management. First of all, I was so new there. A man or a woman? A woman. And she knew I was gay. And it was just bizarre. She was going through a divorce. It was just weird. And I never went to management. First of all, I thought like, okay, they may find a way to get rid of me because...
PBD Podcast
JFK Files Release w/ Andrew Schulz | PBD Podcast | Ep. 563
If I told this story, I don't know if they're going to believe me or not. But then she was so mean to me after that. I was like, I should have told the story. But, yeah, I've been harassed by men and women. But what constituted this harassment? Like, physically? Like, in the office? Like, come in and twirl for me, Don? It wasn't a twirl for me, but it was not in the office.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
Your show's on YouTube now. It's a different mechanism. It's the same thing, though. It's a smaller screen. Do more people watch you on YouTube than watch you on CNN? I think now, I think they, well... You don't know the answer to that question? No, no, I do know the answer to that question. I think, you know, in my early days on CNN, I would say more people watched me on CNN.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
And then also when I was there, it was a different time. I think more people watched me on CNN I don't know. I think more people watch me now. But I think the highest point of CNN was during COVID. And we had COVID and George Floyd at the same time and Donald Trump. And that was the height. That was the highest ratings, the most profitable of CNN. And so it was amazing to be there.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
People watched every night. Right. And they sort of relied on us because you were stuck. Your show's on YouTube. It's a different mechanism. It's the same thing, though.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
It's the same thing when I see not all black Republicans, but I see a black MAGA person who is carrying Donald Trump's water and they know that he's lying. It is the shortest line to the front, because if you're black and you're whatever, you're just in line with a bunch of other Democrats that are doing the same thing that you're doing.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
But if you become a black MAGA person, it's like, whoa, let's book this person. Let's put them on television. So you don't think you can be a sincere black MAGA person? No, I just said, I don't think that, I just said, I think there can be sincere Republicans. But you can't be a sincere black Republican? I don't think that you can be a rational MAGA, be black and be a rational MAGA person.
Part Of The Problem
Another Stupid War
I think you can be black and be a Republican. I think they would find that very insulting. Well, I mean, the truth is often insulting. It's the same thing.
The Dan Bongino Show
Nightly Scroll With Hayley - Trump, Elon bring Astronauts HOME!
People love AOC. People love Jasmine Crockett. People love Eric Swalwell and the like. And I think that the Democratic Party should put the people out there who the people want. They should put the politicians out there who the people want, who they're asking for. I mean—
The Dan Bongino Show
Nightly Scroll With Hayley - Trump, Elon bring Astronauts HOME!
The same thing when I see not all black Republicans, but I see a black MAGA person who is carrying Donald Trump's water and they know that he's lying. It is the shortest line to the front. Because if you're black and you're whatever, you're just in line with a bunch of other Democrats that are doing the same thing that you're doing.
The Dan Bongino Show
Nightly Scroll With Hayley - Trump, Elon bring Astronauts HOME!
But if you become a black MAGA person, it's like, whoa, let's book this person. Let's put him on television. So you don't think you can be a sincere black MAGA person? No, I just said, I don't think that, I just said I think there can be sincere Republicans. But you can't be a sincere black Republican? I don't think that you can be a rational MAGA, be black and be a rational MAGA person.
The Dan Bongino Show
Nightly Scroll With Hayley - Trump, Elon bring Astronauts HOME!
I think you can be black and be a Republican. I think they would find that very insulting. Well, I mean, the truth is often insulting.