CNN's Kyra Phillips Jokes About Making "Reverse Oreo" With Black Cohost Don Lemon

This afternoon, CNN "Open House" host Gerri Willis came by CNN Newsroom to discuss the economy. Willis joked with anchor Kyra Phillips that if she could predict the stock market, she and Phillips could run off to an island, prompting Phillips' co-anchor, Don Lemon, to ask not to be left out of the girls' getaway. This resulted in the following exchange:

Gerri: Alright Don, you come too.
Kyra: We could bring him along with the girls.
Gerri: Come on!
Kyra: He's paying! Thanks, Gerri.
Don: A little sandwich!
Kyra: Ooh!
Gerri: Whoa, I have to go now!
Kyra: Yeah, good time. You don't want to talk about the reverse oreo!

Willis was visibly embarrassed by Phillips' joke, though Lemon seemed to enjoy it, laughing out loud and announcing, "Oh, she said it! I'm glad she said it."

Watch:

Kyra Phillips and Gerri Willis transformed a segment on the economy into a racially tinged, awkward moment by joking about making a "reverse oreo" with black co-host Don Lemon. Watch! http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1396519189http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

From CNN, 1/30

Previously: Kyra Phillips' microphone remains on, streaming her bathroom conversation (about her brother and sister-in-law) over a Bush speech.

Comments

[rpence]

Kyra is one among many saucy vixens on CNN--Betty Nguyen, Fredricka Whitfield, Soledad O'Brien and Suzanne Malveaux also make for must-see TV!!

[SouthpawSass]

Since when would a guy have a problem being compared to the sweet creamy middle?

[kappock750]

that whole group on CNN A.M. is embaressing.
Philips is a better Katie Couric - but only slightly.

[kentninomiya]

If you watch this exchange you will see that it's innocent banter. No one there was offended. However the hypersensitive among us could make this out to be racial insensitivity, sexual insensitivity or both. I would not be surprised if there are calls for suspensions. That seems to be in vogue these days. Kent Ninomiya

[DavidKC]

Don Lemon is an idiot; sorry but it's true. Talk about being nothing but a pretty face. I've seen him ask the most inane questions, and most of the time it's clear he doesn't understand what he's reading off the teleprompter. He probably didn't even understand what was going on.

[blewkarma]

War over cracking an egg!

For example, in the Voyage to Lilliput, the people of that fictional country are small, with small and petty concerns. "High Heels" and "Low Heels" The people of Lilliput fight the people of Blefuscu for the smallest of things, the right way to crack an egg, the Big End or the Small End! The Big Endians go to war against the Small Endians because of that disagreement.

[WilliamWallace]

Let it go, baby......let it go.

[shrinkrap]

I think the "joke" on CNN is part of their new campaign to divert the viewers attention away from the fact that CNN is no longer interested in reporting actual news. Yeah, apparently a memo was sent out from corporate that real news is "too hard to find" and "no fun" and anyway the average viewer "has the attention span of a puppy". So instead of news, the viewer is treated to useless commentary spiced with double entendre. Their new slogan is "CNN, hey,hey,he­y,hey,over here sweetie,good doggy."

[nikto]

Those girls are just being natural.

They just want a little O' that Brown Sugar!

[NYCIC]

Kyra is a little nuts. But I'd hit it, definitely. Add Carole Costello to the mix and we could get busy.

[jimsey]

It was funny and everyone involved enjoyed it.

[kentninomiya]

Kent Ninomiya - I argue that cultural sensitivity is not the same as racial blindness. Pretending that we don't see that people are different is hypocritical. We should acknowledge and embrace these differences as what makes our American culture great. Pointing them out doesn't automatically make them an insult. When someone makes a comment that is warmly greeted by the people they are addressing, it is not up to third parties to be gravely insulted. I believe that to be the case here with CNN. - Kent Ninomiya
http://kentninomiya.blogspot.com/
http://www.kentninomiya.com
http://www.kentninomiya.org/
http://www.kentninomiya.info/
http://www.zimbio.com/Kent+Ninomiya+news

[kentninomiya]

Kent Ninomiya - I suspect that the people who would be most incensed about the comment wouldn't have got it in the first place. It would probably have to be explained to them before they got angry. It's not the kind of remark that children would understand or even ask questions about. In fact it's hard to make out what they're saying since they are talking at the same time. So why are so many so quick to be outraged? Kent Ninomiya
http://kentninomiya.blogspot.com/
http://www.kentninomiya.com
http://www.kentninomiya.org/
http://www.kentninomiya.info/
http://www.zimbio.com/Kent+Ninomiya+news

[pollster08]

btw I am AA and there was nothing wrong with her comment at all.

[pollster08]

Kyra is my favorite on CNN...well, wait..I love Fredericka, Tony and Don and T.J. too! Anyway, I think it's a cute joke.