In a transparent attempt to protect beleaguered co-host Don Lemon, CNN This Morning committed very flagrant bias by omission.
At last night's Oscars ceremony, Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh, 60, capped her acceptance speech by saying [video]:
"Ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime."
Yeoh's raised fist brought thunderous cheering from the audience.
Yeoh's statement was a clear slap at Don Lemon. CNN recently suspended Lemon and subjected him to sensitivity training for having insisted that Nikki Haley, 51, "isn't in her prime."
But in CNN This Morning's Oscars coverage today, the show cut out the part of Yeoh's speech in which she uttered her "past her prime" shot at Lemon. They could have won a Best Editing Oscar for its artful censorship of Yeoh's statement. The show began by rolling Yeoh's final words: "never give up!" Then they showed the beginning of her remarks, in which she addressed "litte boys and girls who look like me."
But CNN edited out what came in between: "Ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime." The "never give up" came right after that.
Lemon made a syrupy statement about the Oscars being:
"Particularly reaffirming, especially for Asian-American actors, or just Asian-Americans in the country, considering . . .all of the anti-Asian hate that has been going on in the country."
Lemon naturally omitted mention of Yeoh's "past your prime" shot at him as ran down hate-filled America.
You have to wonder whether Lemon's co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, who were reportedly very offended by his "past her prime" remarks, were upset that CNN suppressed Yeoh's slap at Lemon?
And as for Lemon's ode to Asian-Americans in light of anti-Asian hate, might Harlow and Collins have been thinking something along the lines: "yeah, Don: speaking of anti-Asian hate, has it occured to you that Nikki Haley, the object of your ugly, past her prime, attack, is . . . Asian-American?"
CNN entertainment reporter Nischelle Turner took a little slap of her own at Lemon. When he described the Oscars as a really important and reaffirming "moment" for Asian-Americans,Turner shot back: "I hope it's not a moment." That forced Lemon to humbly agree: "Yeah. Yeah. Right on."
CNN This Morning burying Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh's little slap at Don Lemon for his "past her prime" attack on Nikki Haley was sponsored in part by Sleep Number, Downy, and Tide.
Here's the transcript.
CNN This Morning
3/13/23
6:22 am EDTPOPPY HARLOW: What a night. The 95th annual Academy Awards, full of emotion and excitement even without all the slap drama. Everything Everywhere All At Once sweeping the Oscars with seven awards, including a history-making win for actress Michelle Yeoh.
CNN also clinching its first, our first golden statue last night. Stephanie Elam is live in Los Angeles with more. What a great night.
HARRISON FORD [announcing Best Picture Oscar]: "Everything Everywhere All At Once."
STEPHANIE ELAM: The best picture winner, living up to its name. "Everything" was everywhere at the Oscars."
MICHELLE YEOH: Never give up.
ELAM: Michelle Yeoh, winning Best Actress, making history as the first woman of Asian descent to win.
YEOH: For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching this tonight, this is the beacon of hope.
. . .
DON LEMON: I thought it was a particularly reaffirming, especially for Asian-American actors, or just Asian-Americans in the country, considering I was in California covering the shootings there and the killings there. And every -- all of the anti-Asian hate that has been going on in the country, especially since Covid. I thought it was a really important and reaffirming moment for Asian-Americans. And I hope that, you know, they feel it in this country and that everyone does.
NISCHELLE TURNER: Yes. Absolutely. And I hope it's not a moment.
LEMON: Yeah. Yeah. Right on.
