-Don Lemon, thank you so much
for being here.
It really means a lot to me.
I know how busy you are.
-I am honored to be here and
to be in your home.
It means a lot to me.
Can I say something?
-Sure.
-Your open. Wow. Bravo, brother.
And that's exactly what we all
need to do is examine ourselves.
And that was really honest
and very brave of you.
And I appreciate you having
the depth, really,
to do what you did in that open.
That's amazing.
I wish more people
would do that,
because we can't go
back to the way we were.
Even before this death happened
with George Floyd,
with the pandemic, Jimmy,
we weren't gonna go back
to life the way it was.
And now that this happened,
we can't go back.
So this is a time for us to
change, and I thank --
I appreciate you for stepping up
and being a leader
and helping to change.
-I wanted to thank you
for saying that,
but I want to thank you even
before we got into this,
just to say,
just for the pandemic,
when that was happening,
thank you for staying on the air
and being there for all of us.
You know, I don't know if you
get enough credit,
as much as you deserve.
You deserve a lot of credit
for getting out there
and making us feel
calmer and safer
and just giving us
the information
and showing up
and being there for us.
So, that was happening, and I
wanted to thank you for that.
And now I saw
your special last night,
"I Can't Breathe -- Black Men
Living and Dying in America,"
and that was
absolutely phenomenal.
Bravo to you for that.
What has this been
like for you, professionally?
-Well, professionally,
it's tough
because it's so personal,
you know?
Because I'm seeing people
who look like me,
who have similar backgrounds,
who have loved ones who look
like my family, dying.
I mean, literally watching
them die.
We watched this man
die on-camera,
we watched Ahmaud Arbery
die, in Georgia, on-camera
literally within the span
of a week or two.
And, I mean, it's been tough to
go on and not be emotional,
but, you know,
I lead from the heart
and I'm very candid and I don't
always say the right things.
That's why -- I don't always say
the right things,
but I always say what I'm
feeling in the moment,
and it's always real.
And I don't mean it --
You know, it doesn't come
from a bad place.
And so that's why
I appreciate what you said
and what you're doing,
because we have to stop
beating people up for mistakes,
because we're all human.
We have to allow people
to be human.
And we all have pasts,
and they're not perfect.
And we have to allow people to
be flawed and have conversations
like we're having now and not
castigate people for it.
People say the wrong things
all the time.
In your family, with your wife,
with your mom, your dad,
your sister, whomever,
your brother,
you have conversations,
you have arguments,
and you say the wrong thing,
but you're still a family
and you still love each other.
And I think even as Americans
who may not live together
or know each other,
we have to allow each other
that same freedom.
And that's all -- That's what
I'm trying to get across
every single night, especially
since this happened.
-What can people
be doing right now?
White people, black people.
I'm not saying,
"Tell me what to do,"
but what do you think all of
us as a country
should be doing or can be doing?
-Exactly what
we're doing right now.
That's what
they should be doing.
And every time something
like this happens, Jimmy,
we say, "We need
to have a conversation.
We need to have a conversation."
Yes, we need
to have a conversation,
but that is at the very minimum.
We should be having
a conversation.
White people,
get some black friends.
Examine your social circles.
Do you have any people of color
in your social circles
besides people you work with
or maybe who work for you
or maybe you ride
the subway with,
I mean, who live
in your neighborhood?
Do you?
I mean, just let's be honest.
And look at your staff
if you work.
Look at the people
you work around,
especially if you're a boss.
How many people of color
do you have on your team?
How many direct reports
do you have?
Because that influences
what you put out in the world.
And I think people should
just be honest,
because we all created
this toge--
This is the America that
we all created,
and we can all change it if
we really wanted to.
And we have to stop
asking, "Well, what can we do?"
It is shocking, honestly, Jimmy,
to most African-Americans,
if not all African-Americans,
that what happened
to George Floyd,
as sad and awful as it is,
is an epiphany for white people.
It's not an epiphany.
It happens all the time,
and many people
make these calculations
every time they see it.
"Well, this doesn't happen much.
They're making an excuse.
It happens to white people."
How much videotape -- Have you
seen videotape like that
of white people?
And if you do, it's very rare.
Have you seen it, Jimmy?
-No.
-Okay.
So when people are telling you
that these things happen,
well, you should probably meet
them where they are
and believe that they do,
because it happens,
and stop making excuses for
racism and get out there.
But the biggest thing is
take some action.
Use whatever platform you have
or wherever you are
and try to do something
for a person of color
or understand a person of
color or improve conditions.
When something happens
in the workplace
that you perceive
to be discriminatory,
don't stand by and let it happen
and then say,
"Oh, that's terrible
that it happens to you."
Speak up.
-Yeah, you had a quick call-out
the other night,
because you said that you were
getting texts and DMs
saying, "Great job, Don."
You're doing great."
And you're like,
"Yeah, what are you doing?"
-Yeah.
-"Don't tell me.
You have a platform. Use it."
-Well, here's the thing.
And you know this.
So, the trades will pick up
a headline -- right? --
and say, "Oh, Don Lemon
is calling people out."
What I meant was not in a
derogatory or negative way.
And I did say,
"You may be doing something
that I don't know about,
and if you are,
then I apologize."
But I have asked people
to come on CNN many times,
and even with this,
and they'll say,
"Oh, I can't do it.
You know, I just --
Man, it'll ruin my brand" or
"I'm worried about it.
I can't -- You know..."
And if you don't help
those young people
who are really out there
and try to change that narrative
about all of this rioting
and everything is bad
and black people
are causing chaos --
If you don't step up to those
people who are standing
on an abyss
and trying to change things,
when are you going to do it,
black or white?
And that's not just for
Hollywood people
and celebrities.
Those are the people who
represent them,
Those are the producers,
all of those people
who are making money.
And the reason I said that
is because
there's a vacuum of
leadership in this country,
and we live in a very
celebrity-driven society.
And people listen to artists
of all kinds --
rappers, actors, comedians.
They listen, and you have a big
voice and a big platform.
And the reason I mention all
those bold names
that I mentioned is because
I love those people,
I respect those people, and they
have a major, huge influence.
And sometimes, if you're doing
things behind the scenes,
you're giving money,
it's very important.
Don't get me wrong.
But visibility is also
extremely important,
because young people
need to be able to see that
they can be like you
and that sometimes doing
a Twitter post or an
Instagram post, that's great,
but it's in a vacuum sometimes.
Do you understand
what I'm saying?
-Yeah, I do.
-I use my platform
the way that I can.
I'm not criticizing
people in that way,
but it's just a call to action
for everyone
to do what they can,
because this a critical moment
in our country.
That's it.
-I want to talk more with you
when we come back
from the break.
Is that okay?
-Absolutely.
