Ousted CNN anchor Don Lemon is reportedly interested in becoming the first male host of “The View.”
The all-female-led talk show created by the late journalist Barbara Walters has had male guest hosts in the past but has never had a male co-host.
According to OK!, Lemon has been buttering up the show’s current hosts, including Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunni Hostin, Ana Navarro, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.
The outlet claims that the 57-year-old journalist hosted a party for Hostin at his home in Long Island to celebrate her new book, “Summer on Sag Harbor,” and has also been calling Goldberg to advocate for himself.
A source reported that the television personality was “all over Sunny” and Behar, making sure each knew “he was responsible for every detail of the party.”
Lemon announced he was “stunned” after being fired from CNN after 17 years back in April. Some speculated that some of his controversial on-air statements, such as saying Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley not being “in her prime,” resulted in his termination.
“Don is trying to convince the ladies that all the show needs is a guy’s voice, but he’s already proven he doesn’t play well with others,” the source claimed. “They’re not quite ready to welcome him with open arms — no matter how many parties he throws.”
Fans reacted to the news with enthusiasm on social media. One fan replied, “He’d fit right in.”
“I can’t wait to see him and Woopie go at it,” added another. “Who’s gonna be ‘top dog’????”
“That will definitely make it more watchable. What an upgrade,” noted one.
“I like the idea. It would be interesting to see.”
Hostin, who is a former colleague of Lemon’s and friend of two decades, also noted her surprise about his firing, which she defended on an episode of “The View.” As previously reported, Lemon is reportedly planning to release a tell-all book to expose CNN executives and fellow anchors.
“I know that I’m biased here because Don is my friend and he has been my friend for 20 years,” she said. “Our offices were directly across from each other, um, for most of that time that I worked there, and I will say I don’t believe — in my experience with him — that he’s a misogynist. I think he loves women. He loves his mother. He loved his sister. He loves me. He loves Joy.”
“I am stunned,” Hostin added before admitting that Lemon said some things that were “sexist” and “agist.”
After a few back-to-back controversial statements, Lemon apologized and was given formal training. He has previously appeared on “The View” as a guest, but no word yet on if he is being considered for a co-hosting gig.
Walters, who was a female journalist in a male-dominated industry, said that she had the idea to create a show with “generations of women from different backgrounds and different personalities, and that’s what we did.”
“What mattered is these four wonderful women and their relationship and their chemistry,” she said, adding that they talked about the news like they do with their girlfriends and “say almost anything.”
“The View” first premiered in 1997 with Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopoulos as hosts.
