Don Lemon's N-Word Sign originates from a June 2015 broadcast on CNN’s 'CNN Tonight.' During a segment discussing the use of racial slurs in America, Lemon held up a physical sign displaying the word to ask viewers if it offended them. The jarring visual of a news anchor holding such a provocative sign immediately went viral, with internet users photoshopping the sign to feature everything from video game hot takes to absurd grocery lists. It remains a popular exploitable template used to present bold, controversial, or intentionally ridiculous statements as if they were a breaking news broadcast.