Don Lemon's Bill Maher Appearance Backfires, Sparking Jokes About His Comfort Levels

Former CNN host Don Lemon faced mockery on Bill Maher's "Real Time" show for claiming to live in "uncomfortable spaces" as a Black gay man, with Maher quipping, "There's only three of us here. Come on."

Former CNN host Don Lemon found himself in an uncomfortable position during his appearance on Bill Maher's "Real Time with Bill Maher" on Friday, as both Maher and his guests poked fun at Lemon's claims about his lived experiences as a Black gay man.

The exchange occurred during a panel discussion on the ongoing anti-Israel protests taking place on several college campuses nationwide. Lemon, alongside New York University professor Scott Galloway, had criticized the protests as antisemitic, with Lemon referring to them as part of a "fad." However, he suggested that the protests could be a learning experience for the students.

"I'm not minimizing what's going on, but it teaches some of these students to deal with discomfort," Lemon said.

Maher and Galloway agreed to an extent, but when Lemon tried to elaborate on his own experiences, he faced a barrage of jokes.

"Listen, I'm different than you guys. I'm a Black gay man, so I live in uncomfortable spaces all the time. And I think that's a good lesson for college students," Lemon said.

"Why? What's going on?" Maher asked.

"College is not a comfortable place. You learn –" Lemon began.

"No, but you said you live in those spaces. Just tell me what," Maher said.

Lemon replied, "I'm often the only person of color in the room."

Maher, with his signature smirk, quipped, "There's only three of us here. Come on," as the audience erupted in laughter and cheers.

The exchange highlighted the growing criticism of Lemon's habit of invoking his race and sexual orientation in public discussions, a tactic that some have accused him of using to deflect criticism or advance his own agenda.

Prior to his appearance on "Real Time," Lemon had been referenced by another of Maher's guests in 2023, following Lemon's controversial remarks about Republican then-presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

"As Don Lemon told us on CNN, women actually can't run for president because he said we're past our prime once we get to our 40s. But since you have to be 35 to run, it's like this really tiny window between 35 and 40," ABC News contributor Sarah Isgur joked.

Lemon's appearance on "Real Time" has further fueled the debate over the role of race and identity in modern American discourse, with many questioning whether Lemon's experiences as a Black gay man genuinely make him more "uncomfortable" than others, or whether he is simply using his identity as a shield from criticism.