Actress Michelle Yeoh took an apparent jab at CNN host Don Lemon on Sunday night after she accepted the first Academy Award in her career for best actress.
Yeoh made history as the first Asian person to win as lead actress for the popular film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
“For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities,” Yeoh said as she accepted the award.
“This is proof that dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime. Never give up.”
A number of television hosts and media critics reacted to Yeoh’s speech live on Sunday, with more than a few asking whether the comments were intended as criticism of Lemon.
Lemon has been widely condemned for comments he made in February that some said were sexist.
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” Lemon told his female co-hosts on “CNN This Morning” about the former South Carolina governor and newly-announced Republican presidential candidate.
“A woman is considered to be in their prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,” he added.
“Was this a jab at @donlemon for his recent comments about women ‘being past their prime’ after their 40’s?” Turning Point USA ambassador Stephanie Hamill asked her over 146,000 followers on Twitter in reaction to Yeoh’s comments.
NPR TV critic Eric Deggans was more direct, saying that Yeoh’s words were intended as “shade for Don Lemon” in a tweet Sunday.
Contributing editor for Current Affairs Briahna Joy Gray joked that she could not have predicted Yeoh’s barbs against Lemon during the Oscars. “Michelle Yeoh coming for Don Lemon was not on my #Oscar bingo card,” Gray tweeted alongside an Oscars trophy emoji.
Was this a jab at @donlemon for his recent comments about women 'being past their prime' after their 40's ?
"This is proof that dreams dream big and dreams do come true. And ladies, don't let anybody tell you -you are ever past your prime." ~ Michelle Yeoh #Oscars2023 @theMRC pic.twitter.com/AR74RA8eZC
— Stephanie Hamill (@STEPHMHAMILL) March 13, 2023
Michelle Yeoh with the shade for Don Lemon while accepting best actress #Oscar: "Ladies…don't let anybody tell you you're past your prime."
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) March 13, 2023
Michelle Yeoh coming for Don Lemon was not on my #Oscar bingo card 😂
— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) March 13, 2023
Other media figures, many of them women, also praised Yeoh for her comments on age.
Television host Bianca Gonzalez lauded the Oscar-winning actress in a viral Twitter post. “We are NEVER past our prime. PREACH, Michelle Yeoh!!!!!!!”
“It has been confirmed. Michelle Yeoh is an unstoppable force,” CNN anchor Kristie Lu Stout tweeted.
“I’m not crying,” TV anchor Susan Li wrote, “you’re crying.”
Some of Yeoh’s co-stars on the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” also took home Academy Awards Sunday. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis won her first ever Oscar for her role in the movie as best supporting actress.
Actor Ke Huy Quan also took home an award for best supporting actor.
Sorry, folks. Don Lemon is absolutely correct. Now in her 50s, Nikki Haley IS PAST her prime. Unfortunately, everyone past 50 years old is not as good as they once were. It was an attempt to make an indirect assessment of her aptitude. With age comes wisdom. That evens it out.
Ahhh , Roast Lemon! I’ll bet it tastes a lot like chicken s@#t!