NEW YORK – Don Lemon doesn’t have to worry about an early morning work alarm anymore. The former “CNN This Morning” anchor, who was fired by CNN Monday, stepped out to celebrate the Time 100 Gala in his first major public appearance Wednesday.
Lemon told reporters that he is doing well post-termination.
“I’m going to enjoy my summer, spend it on the beach and have a great time, that’s it,” Lemon said on the red carpet. “I’m great.”
Lemon was one in a crowd of dozens of big names including Jennifer Coolidge, Doja Cat, Steven Spielberg, Gayle King, Kim Kardashian, Ke Huy Quan, Michael B. Jordan, Steve Lacy, Drew Barrymore and plenty of others gathered at New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center Wednesday night to celebrate Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” list at the Time 100 Gala.
Each year, the magazine honors 100 individuals for its iconic list, accompanied by celebratory blurbs written by big-name contributors paired with the honorees. The list also highlights authors, comedians, athletes and other influential figures.
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While the gala was glitzy, filled with touching tributes, speeches and moments of fun and humor, the to-be-televised event wasn’t without a few technical hiccups.
See all the behind-the-scenes details before the event airs on ABC Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT (streaming on Hulu and Disney+ after that).
Mia Farrow gets starstruck seeing Austin Butler
Mia Farrow attended with son Ronan Farrow, pausing when she saw Austin Butler further down the carpet.
“It’s so exciting to be here,” she said before stopping midsentence – Farrow appeared to be a bit starstruck.
“Oh my gosh, Austin Butler,” she said. “(He’s the) best. Oh my God, I have to tell him.”
“The Watcher” actress said, “I’m pretty excited to see Austin Butler,” noting he “knocked my socks off” in his “Elvis” performance.
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Jennifer Coolidge hosts, calls for teamwork among attendees
“The White Lotus” star and Golden Globe winner Coolidge hosted the gala, incorporating jokes from the main stage during the seated dinner.
She said she never imagined herself meeting a Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner, and sitting in the same room as the “new Elvis” (referring to Time 100 honoree Oleksandra Matviichuk and Butler, presumably).
Coolidge shared a funny story with a serious undertone on the topic of influence: She made a “fake fart” video with Jennifer Lopez that earned her 2 million followers, but meanwhile, she wasn’t able to find Time 100 honoree and British Antarctic Survey researcher Peter Davis in a Google search.
“All the people here deserve all the influence, but sadly you know it’s not how it works, I guess,” she said.
She suggested an antidote, advising individuals with a wide reach to find a friend in the room with lesser reach and a great message. “All the famous people here, I want you to get a buddy – a nerdy buddy – and get their message out there,” she said.
Doja Cat’s 2 performances became 3
Time 100 honoree Doja Cat took the stage at the close of the gala to sing hit tracks “Woman” and “Say So,” following an introduction from “Bad Habit” singer and Time 100 honoree Lacy.
After she finished her first iteration of “Say So,” a producer came over the loudspeaker: A do-over was necessary due to a technical error. Earlier, “Creed” producer, actor and Time 100 honoree Jordan had to repeat a line in a heartwarming speech he delivered about his sister and motherhood for a similar reason.
While Doja Cat might have been delivering an unintentional encore, the audience remained excited for the repeat act. And some (including this reporter) were encouraged to move closer to the stage, a welcomed direction.
Inside the Time 100 Gala after party
In the atrium, an after party commenced with tunes like Don Omar’s “Danza Kuduro” and Daft Punk’s “One More Time” pumping through the space.
Time 100 honoree Ali Wong grabbed a passed dessert, Lacy hopped on the phone for a second, Padma Lakshmi embraced a friend and attendees stopped Jordan for photos.
And others, like Meghan McCain and Quan, headed toward the exit shortly after the event wound down.
Outside, as guests departed, a crowd waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Time 100 Gala attendees.
