The 'CNN Tonight' anchor got emotional during an on-air interview.
Don Lemon is struggling with his friend and CNN co-worker, Chris Cuomo, being diagnosed with coronavirus. The 54-year-old newsman was visibly emotional during Tuesday's broadcast of CNN Tonight when talking with CNN's senior global affairs analyst, Bianna Golodryga.
After Golodryga spoke, Lemon chimed in, saying, "The hospitals, um, um, I'm sorry that's the next thing. I told you I was distracted. I'm sorry about that."
Golodryga then offered some words of comfort to Lemon, noting that he's been "trying to be stoic and focus on the headlines" during a difficult time, mentioning Cuomo and his recent diagnosis.
"Sorry, I said I wasn't going to do this, Jesus," Lemon said, dabbing away tears with a tissue. "He's probably sitting at home laughing at me."
Cuomo announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, noting he's hopeful that he hasn't given it to his wife, Cristina, or their children as he remains quarantined in their basement.
"Chris and I are very good friends. We live near each other. And so when I walk into work every day I have to walk by where Chris is, so I usually go to his office and sometimes I bring the dogs and we just say hello," Lemon explained. "Anyway, he's just not here, and we have this great relationship."
Earlier in the show, Lemon interviewed Cuomo via video chat, where the pals had given each other a hard time.
“Where’s your suit?” Lemon asked Cuomo.
“I’m too sick,” Cuomo replied. “It didn’t look right for me to be sick in a funereal suit. It’s too much like what I might be buried in.”
This isn't the first time a reporter has been overwhelmed on the air amid the coronavirus outbreak. Last week, Hoda Kotb also got emotional following a Today show interview with Drew Brees about his charitable donation. The 55-year-old journalist broke down crying and her co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, offered her some words of comfort.
"You sort of look around for someone to hug just because and you realize OK, that's also part of it," Kotb explained at the time. "But anyway. The new normal, we get used to it."
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