Ep: 112: Don Lemon: Award winning broadcast journalist and media trailblazer

Don Lemon spent three decades on local and national TV – a trusted voice after the Sandy Hook massacre, in war-torn Eastern Europe, and during the riots of 2020. Anchoring Don Lemon Tonight on CNN for eight years, he was known for hard-hitting interviews with public officials and compassionate dialogue with everyday people.  The Don Lemon Show is now streaming on all platforms.  He is the author of several bestselling books including his most recent one titled: I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America.

 

Some interesting insights from this episode:

  • As a Black man, he has a complicated relationship with the flag. But he is still a patriot. And as a gay man, he has a complicated relationship with the Bible. But he still believes in God.
  • He was the kid whose personality could not be denied. He was likeable and easy to get along with. His charismatic personality would later help separate him from the other news anchors who were stiff and indistinguishable.
  • He has always had a strong work ethic, outworking everyone around him. He worked full time while pursuing his degree full time and he never took a vacation his first ten years at CNN.
  • “Every setback or shortcoming you think you have is actually a gift. You just have to figure out what that gift is and how to use it.”
  • He’s ok being a lightning rod, as he’s just being himself and trying to foster healthy debate. He has learned to not care what others think about him.
  • “Excellence is not about perfection. Rather, excellence is being a good citizen, a good partner, a good family member, and a good contributor to society in the world.”

 

Show Notes:

Books:

I Once was Lost: My Search for God in America

This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism

TV/Digital:

The Don Lemon Show

Ep 74: Francis Collins: Director of the National Institutes of Health

Francis Collins is the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world.  Francis is a physician-geneticist noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the international Human Genome Project.  Francis is an elected member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science. In 2020, he was elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (UK) and was also named the 50th winner of the Templeton Prize, which celebrates scientific and spiritual curiosity.

 

Some interesting insights from this episode:

  • He was able to act in his family’s community theater as a child which served as an important foundation for his exemplary ability to communicate.
  • He was an atheist early in life but a patient asking about his beliefs sent him down a path of exploration and meaning and he ended up becoming a devout Christian.
  • He developed a technique known as positional cloning for identifying genes. With this technique, he discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s Disease.
  • He led the Human Genome Project, the global consortium which sequenced the entire human genome, one of the biggest most monumental scientific breakthroughs ever.
  • “Science can produce knowledge but the way you apply that knowledge is where ethics and morality kick in.”
  • The next frontier in science will be decoding the brain, the most complex part of the human body.
  • “Excellence is not just about being able to bring your best, your creative approach, your work ethic, and your dedication but also being in the service of something that matters.”