Don Lemon Calls Out a Bunch of Celebrities Amid Protests: 'Step Up'

CNN anchor Don Lemon is calling on celebrities to use their voices amid protests of George Floyd‘s killing in Minneapolis last week.

“A lot of people I ask to come on this show, to talk about this, [such as] wealthy celebrities, wealthy political people, [say], ‘I can’t do it. I’m mad. I don’t want people to see me mad. It might hurt my business. I’m so upset that I had to go to my country house.’ Where are you? Why aren’t you fighting for these young people? If you don’t do it now, when are you going to do it? … if you are a millionaire or a gazillionare or a movie star or a politician and you don’t step up now, when the hell are you going to do it?” Don said. “I hate that. You are your brand. Step up, people. Step up, Black Hollywood…Beyoncé released a message, you can’t?”

Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, Don continued, “By me calling out your name, that doesn’t mean I’m calling you out, it means I love you Ellen. It means I love you Oprah. I know they give millions to dollars to charity every year, but I mean your visibility in helping speak out for these people.”

“I want to see you Tracee Ellis Ross, I want to see you Tyler Perry. I want to see you Drake. I want to see you, my friend Anthony Anderson. I love you, I love all of you, I want to see you doing this,” he added. “I want to see you Diddy. I want to see you Jane Fonda, who I love and respect. Do something, help change racism in this country.”