Who is Don Lemon's first wife? The woman behind his first "I Do"
Don Lemon was a host on CNN from 2014 until 2023. In 2002, the celebrated journalist received an Edward R. Murrow Award for covering the capture of the Washington, D.C. snipers. He has also received three regional Emmy Awards. Many people have been curious about his personal life since he came out. Find out who Don Lemon's first wife was.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The television journalist anchored Don Lemon Tonight, a show that aired on weeknights on CNN. Lemon is outspoken about his sexual orientation, so fans were surprised when rumours about his first wife arose. Who is Don Lemon's first wife?
Profile summary
| Full name | Don Lemon |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 1 March 1966 |
| Age | 58 years (as of 2024) |
| Place of birth | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America |
| Current residence | Harlem and Sag Harbor on Long Island, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Gay |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (179 cm) |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Tim Malone |
| Father | Wilmon Lee Richardson |
| Mother | Katherine Marie (Bouligney) |
| Alma mater | Baker High School, Louisiana State University, and Brooklyn College |
| Profession | Journalist |
| @Don Lemon | |
| Don Lemon's Instagram | @donlemonofficial |
| X | @donlemon |
Who is Don Lemon's first wife?
Don Lemon, a celebrated journalist, is openly gay. In the past, he was rumoured to have married Stephanie Ortiz, an American model turned actress. Ortiz is best known for her work in A Kiss of Chaos, The Love Potion, and The Grasslands.
News about a secret wedding ceremony between Ortiz and Lemon took the world by storm. However, nothing was ever confirmed. The rumours died when Don Lemon came out in his book Transparent.
Is Stephanie Ortiz married to Don Lemon?
Stephanie Ortiz and Don Lemon are not married. The journalist is openly gay. He is married to Tim Malone, a distinguished real estate broker.
The couple was in a long-term relationship before exchanging vows on 6 April 2024 in a ceremony held in New York City, United States of America.
The ceremony was officiated by the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Matt Lauer and Jeff Zucker were among the 140 guests in attendance.
Malone worked for The Corcoran Group from 2018 to 2020. He now works for Douglas Elliman in both the New York and Hamptons markets.
Source: Original
Does Don Lemon have kids?
The journalist and his spouse do not have kids but have expressed the desire to become parents in the future. In 2020, the lovebirds said they wished to have children after tying the knot.
They wanted to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic was under control. Lemon revealed they were beginning to discuss the logistics of having children.
How old is Don Lemon?
Don Lemon's age is 58 years as of 2024. He was born on 1 March 1966, and his Zodiac sign is Pisces.
Where is Don Lemon living now?
The journalist lives in an apartment in Harlem. He also has another home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, New York.
He was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America, and his nationality is American. His ethnicity is African-American.
Who was Don Lemon's mother?
The journalist's mother's name is Katherine Marie (Bouligney). He was born under the surname of his mother's then-husband.
At five, it was discovered that Wilmon Lee Richardson was Don Lemon's father. Richardson was a sought-after lawyer who was part of a lawsuit that successfully challenged the segregation of public transportation in Baton Rouge.
Educational background
The journalist went to Baker High School, in Baker, East Baton Rouge Parish. He was the class president in his senior year.
He proceeded to Louisiana State University for higher studied. He later graduated from Brooklyn College with a major in broadcast journalism in 1996.
Career
As a student at Brooklyn College, Don Lemon was an intern at WNYW. He later worked for Fox affiliates in St. Louis and Chicago and was a correspondent for NBC affiliates. Below is a list of the networks he worked for.
- WBRC: He was a weekend news anchor in the Birmingham, Alabama-based network
- WCAU: He was a weekend news anchor for the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based network.
- KTVI: He was an anchor and investigative reporter for this Fox affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri.
- NBC News: He was actively involved in New York City operations at NBC News. He was a correspondent for Today and NBC Nightly News.
- MSNBC: He was an anchor on Weekend Today.
- WMAQ-TV: He was a reporter and local news co-anchor.
- CNN: He joined CNN in September 2006.
CNN career
The journalist worked for CNN from September 2006 to April 2023. He was known for being outspoken in his career. He often voiced strong opinions about various issues, especially those affecting the African-American community.
In 2014, he started piloting prime CNN shows, including The Eleventh Hour and The Don Lemon Show. He became the permanent host of Tonight with Don Lemon.
In May 2021, he, along with former CNN journalist Chris Cuomo, launched a podcast named The Handoff. It centred around politics and personal issues.
On 17 May 2021, CNN Tonight with Don Lemon was retitled to Don Lemon Tonight. On 15 September 2022, CNN announced that Lemon would co-anchor a new CNN morning show called CNN This Morning with Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
On 24 April 2023, CNN fired the journalist. His contract was supposed to expire in 2026 before the firing. He was fired because the network was struggling to book guests willing to appear on-air with him. He was fired on the same day as Tucker Carlson.
Where is Don Lemon today?
Fans are curious about the journalist's whereabouts after being fired by CNN. He is still working in media.
On 9 January 2024, Lemon announced his new show on X (formerly Twitter). The show's title is The Don Lemon Show. X's owner, Elon Musk, was his first interviewee.
Elon Musk cancelled Don Lemon's new show on his platform after the first episode. Consequently, Lemon took to YouTube. His show is published on YouTube and as a podcast.
Source: Getty Images
Don Lemon's net worth
The journalist is worth $20 million. Don Lemon's salary is about $7 million per year. His wealth and riches come from his long-running journalism career.
Are Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo still friends?
The friendship between Cuomo and Lemon is over. The bromance between Cuomo and Lemon was admirable. The two manifested their friendship in a podcast and lengthy handoffs during their CNN shows.
Presently, the two are no longer on speaking terms. The friendship reportedly ended after Lemon decided not to check in on Cuomo after Cuomo was fired by CNN in 2021.
How tall is Don Lemon?
Don Lemon's height is 5 ft 10 in or 179 cm. He has black hair and brown eyes.
Trivia
- He suffered sexual abuse in his childhood.
- He was a Republican who voted for Ronald Reagan in college.
- In 2009, he was voted as one of the 150 most influential African Americans by Ebony magazine.
- He dedicated his book, Transparent, to Tyler Clementi. Clementi was a college student who took his own life after his roommate outed him online.
Stephanie Ortiz was rumoured to be Don Lemon's first wife. The celebrated journalist is openly gay and is married to real estate broker Tim Malone.
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Ann Steffie Ann Steffie is a content creator with 2+ years of working experience in the industry. She graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Technology. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya and spends her free time pursuing her interests which include web development, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Email: madigoann@gmail.com
Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com
