CNN’s Lemon says he was called gay slur while filming show in park

CNN host Don Lemon revealed this week that he was harassed by someone yelling a gay slur at him while he was filming outside in a park recently.

Lemon, speaking at an industry conference on Thursday, opened up about the harassment he has faced in recent years, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“I was doing a shoot in the park the other day and someone said, ‘We built this country. I can’t wait for CNN to fire your black ass, you faggot,'” Lemon told the crowd.{mosads}

The anchor recently became engaged to his boyfriend Tim Malone, a real estate agent in New York.

Lemon, who is a vocal Trump critic, also opened up about harassment he says he faces from both President Trump and his supporters.

“People call the authorities and accuse me of doing certain things,” Lemon said, adding that he regularly receives calls from a Trump supporter who dislikes him.

An Arkansas man was arrested last year for making repeated calls to CNN and asking to be directed to Lemon’s “dead body hanging from a tree.”

The president often takes to Twitter to blast Lemon. Most recently, Trump echoed a past attack in calling him “the dumbest man on television” in a tweet last month.

Wow! CNN Ratings are WAY DOWN, record lows. People are getting tired of so many Fake Stories and Anti-Trump lies. Chris Cuomo was rewarded for lowest morning ratings with a prime time spot – which is failing badly and not helping the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2019

Lemon told the crowd that he’s decided “not to punch down” by responding to Trump’s Twitter insults, the outlet noted.

“A cable news anchor saying, ‘I don’t punch down at the president.’ That’s where we are,” Lemon added.

Lemon said he loves his job as a TV anchor but wondered how long he will be able to continue to work this particular job given the toxic political media environment.

“It ain’t easy, but I don’t plan to give up,” he said.

CNN has been the subject of frequent attacks from Trump, who often refers to the network as “fake news.”

A Florida man pleaded guilty in March to sending a series of pipe bombs to more than a dozen people and entities, including CNN, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, former President Obama and liberal donor George Soros.