Want yet another reason to not take CNN and the collection of clowns working for it seriously? Well, if Brian Stelter’s having been employed there, Don Lemon’s continued employment there, and the CNN+ disaster weren’t reason enough to make CNN something to laugh at rather than watch with any degree of seriousness, what happened at midnight, 2023 is another reason for you.
What happened? CNN forgot to acknowledge that it was midnight and thus 2023…yes, really, watch that humiliating incident here:
CNN has redeemed itself by ringing in the new year in New Orleans with “Back That Azz Up” and not acknowledging the stroke of midnight in any way
CNN has redeemed itself by ringing in the new year in New Orleans with "Back That Azz Up" and not acknowledging the stroke of midnight in any way pic.twitter.com/tieCeHc4sA
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 1, 2023
Predictably, Twitter didn’t pull any punches when mocking CNN for the incident. Commenting on the above post, for example, people said things like:
“There’s a whole team of people who should have let Don know when the Countdown was supposed to start. Where were they?”
“I honestly do not know how CNN is still actually in existence. 🤦♂️”
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“I can’t believe CNN is still around! They would screw up a one car funeral.”
“😂 he says, “y’all ready for this countdown?” And it already happened 45 seconds prior 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 #dead”
“I’d say CNN has missed the boat on many things. Especially having Don Lemon on their payroll.”
“It’s the most appropriately New Orleans way to welcome the new year. 💁🏼♀️ Except that CNN wasn’t letting them drink. But otherwise, fully on brand.”
“CNN is rudderless and taking on water fast. This is simple “blocking and tackling” and stronger leadership can fix this. Even Don Lemmon should have been more prepared.”
Another commenter noted what probably happened with CNN forgetting that it was midnight, saying “I’m not surprised CNN forgot the central time zone. There’s mostly red states there and, besides, they think the only really notable things happen in coastal blue states.”
And it wasn’t just on that above tweet that people commented to humiliate the ailing network. One person, for example, posted an original tweet on the subject, saying “@cnn literally had one job tonight. Countdown and ring in the new year. WTF happened in New Orleans and central time zone?! No countdown, nothing. Just
@donlemon saying , oh it’s 2023. 👀👀👀”
Quote tweeting that post, a journalist named CJ LeMaster said:
We got to see exactly what happens when a reporter’s IFB (audio connection to producer) goes out.
@donlemon complained about it since at least 11:30, but nothing was done.
Then he missed the countdown to midnight from producers in his ear.
#NewYear2023 #BringBackDrunkDon
LeMaster, in a subsequent tweet, noted that Lemon was not the one at fault, saying “The producers didn’t even put up a countdown clock on the screen so people could count down to midnight at home for the Central Time Zone. That had nothing to do with Lemon and everything to do with producers who screwed up.”