Don Lemon will be vacationing all summer after he “survived” a $7 million job at CNN

Scandalized former CNN anchor Don Lemon portrayed himself as a victim Wednesday, saying at the Time 100 Gala in New York that he "survived" after being fired from a high-paying job at the news network. On Monday, the scandal-plagued ex-host of "CNN This Morning" was fired just weeks after a revealing report claimed his years of "prima donna" and misogynistic behavior. " A lot of unexpected things happen in life, but I survived," Lemon, 57, told Extra in a red carpet interview Wednesday night. The Baton Rouge native reportedly earned $7 million yearly from the network. He is expected to receive a $25 million payout. In addition, Lemon, who sparked outrage in February by calling 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley "not in her prime," also emphasized that he has "no regrets." " Everything I did, I did, and I owned it," he said in an interview with Extra. " I don't look back to the past, and I don't want to change anything ... Go for it." He then boasted about having the opportunity to take a vacation despite his sudden and abrupt dismissal. " I'm going to spend the whole summer at the beach, on a yacht, and with my family," Lemon added, probably referring to his fiancé, Tim Malone. " I just need to relax, and then I'll see what happens next, but I'm lucky. I'm lucky that I'm in a position where I can do that." Simultaneously, at the Time 100 event, the aggrieved TV presenter narrowly avoided an awkward encounter with his former co-host, Poppy Harlow, 50, and his former boss, Chris Licht, 51. Not expecting Lemon's appearance, event organizers hastily seated him, Licht, and Harlow at different tables at the dinner. According to an insider, "Don was invited, of course, but no one expected him to attend tonight. We're hoping there won't be any awkward moments." Licht looked slightly flustered after Lemon's appearance, but he was seated with Harlow, who left the event early to stand for the "CNN This Morning" host. Lemon and Malone sat a few tables away from him with prominent attorney Ben Crump. In an interview with The Post, Licht said it was business as usual after the drama at the network and refuted speculation from some media outlets that Lemon's firing and Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox were intentionally scheduled for the same time Monday morning. " I had the same shock as everybody else," he said. Lemon also played the victim role on Monday, breaking the news of his firing in a tweet in which he complained that no one at CNN had the "decency" to tell him directly and hinted at "bigger issues." This startling firing came just weeks after Variety published a report that Lemon had a long history of sexist and unprofessional behavior. In 2008, Lemon sent threatening text messages from an anonymous number to his co-host Kira Phillips because he was furious that she had been chosen to cover the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. However, Monday marked the end of Lemon's 17-year tenure at the left-leaning news channel, rumored to be shifting toward the center under new management. Nevertheless, the Brooklyn College graduate has been in management's crosshairs for quite some time. In September, he was removed from prime time and moved to the morning show, where the altercation with Haley took place. At the time, he characterized the move as a promotion. " I didn't get demoted. And it's nothing like that. It's an opportunity," he said.

Don Lemon will be vacationing all summer after he “survived” a $7 million job at CNN

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