Controversial CNN anchor Don Lemon is catching heat for his inappropriate question to an alleged rape victim while on the air.
Lemon, who is gay, was interviewing Joan Tarshis, one of the women accusing actor/comedian Bill Cosby of rape.
During the interview, Lemon suggested that Tarshis should have bitten down on Cosby’s penis during the attack. “I didn’t even think of it,” said Tarshis, who seemed shocked by the question.
Lemon, who revealed he was molested by a male family member as a child, was dragged unmercifully on social media platform Twitter.com for his biting advice (no pun intended).
Tarshis alleges that Cosby raped her when she was 19 years old. Former supermodel Janice Dickinson came forward on Tuesday to accuse Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her. The statute of limitations has run out on the alleged rapes.
The following is an excerpt from Leomon’s interview with Tarshis:
DON LEMON: Can I ask you this, because — and please, I don’t mean to be crude, OK?
JOAN TARSHIS: Yeah.
LEMON: Because I know some of you — and you said this last night, that he — you lied to him and said “I have an infection, and if you rape me, or if you do — if you have intercourse with me, then you will probably get it and give it to your wife.”
TARSHIS: Right.
LEMON: And you said he made you perform oral sex.
TARSHIS: Right.
LEMON: You — you know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you didn’t want to do it.
TARSHIS: Oh. Um, I was kind of stoned at the time, and quite honestly, that didn’t even enter my mind. Now I wish it would have.
LEMON: Right. Meaning the using of the teeth, right?
TARSHIS: Yes, that’s what I’m thinking you’re —
LEMON: As a weapon.
TARSHIS: Yeah, I didn’t even think of it.
LEMON: Biting. So, um —
TARSHIS: Ouch.
LEMON: Yes. I had to ask. I mean, it is, yeah.
TARSHIS: Yes. No, it didn’t cross my mind.
