Who is Bryan Freedman? Everything about Don Lemon and Tucker Calson's lawyer

Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson were "fired" unexpectedly by CNN and Fox News, and both famous TV personalities have hired the same lawyer, Bryan Freedman. Does that mean they will sue the channels, and who is Bryan Freedman? Here is everything you need to know!

On Monday, two major TV personalities left their jobs in a major media shake-up. Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson are no longer with CNN and Fox News, and now it looks like they are looking to secure millions from their old networks, as they have tapped the same famous lawyer who is known for handling similar cases in the past, Bryan Freedman.

Who is Bryan Freedman?

Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson hired Bryan Freedman following their sudden departure from CNN and Fox News on Monday. Freedman is a lawyer based out of Los Angeles. He has several "big" clients, like former Bachelor host Chris Harrison, film director Quentin Tarantino and actress Gabrielle Union.

He also represented Megyn Kelly after her departure from NBC in 2019. After her departure, Freedman helped Kelly reach an agreement with the TV channel to pay her full contract even though she left earlier than the contract's duration. Kelly received around $30 million from NBC with the help of Freedman.

Two years later, ABC fired Chris Harrison following comments defending a contestant's decision to attend a Confederate-themed party. Bryan Freedman secured Harrison a $10 million payout.

Looking at Freedman's past, it is obvious that both TV personalities are getting ready to get a paycheck, but they are yet to make an official announcement about it. Wall Street Journal says that Fox News is willing to pay Carlson's full contract, which is $20 million per year, but the duration is unknown.

According to the New York Times, Lemon's contract expires in 2026 but is still unclear whether CNN is willing to pay the full amount written on his contract.

What happened before?

On Monday, Fox News and CNN made two major announcements that shook up the media industry. Famous TV personalities Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon will no longer be part of these two channels.

"I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best," Lemon said in his announcement.

Don Lemon said that CNN fired him directly without talking to management, but a later announcement by CNN read he was “offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.” Lemon was criticized several throughout his career due to his comments.

Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) April 24, 2023

Fox News, on the other hand, announced that both parties have agreed to part ways, “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor," the announcement read. His program will be hosted by a rotation of different personalities until a new permanent host is selected.

Wall Street Journal reported that Carlson found out about his firing 10 minutes before the official announcement. The decision was made by Fox's 92-year-old owner Rupert Murdoch with input from senior Fox officials, said the Los Angeles Times. Also, the Washington Post said that Murdoch's son and Fox Corp CEO, Lachlan Murdoch, and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott made the decision on Friday.

Carlson recently interviewed Elon Musk, and it was revealed that the United States government had access to everything on Twitter, including direct messages.

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