#CNN goes viral as Chris Cuomo tosses to Don Lemon’s NY governor coverage

CNN’s Chris Cuomo is going viral for his painfully awkward handover to network host Don Lemon — who then immediately reported on the sexual harassment scandal threatening to bring down his colleague’s brother.

Cuomo went the whole of his hour-long “Cuomo Prime Time” episode Tuesday night without a peep on the damning probe findings into his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — even as the news ticker made it clear it was the day’s biggest story.

Cuomo — who was named in the report for his role advising his brother — even avoided it as he handed over his show to Lemon, suggesting that his “Don Lemon Tonight” would focus on the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol.

“You know what? I love you, brother,” Lemon told Cuomo, who replied, “I love you D. Lemon.”

After smiling, Lemon immediately started his show by saying that, “The calls are getting louder and louder … calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign.”

“That in the wake of the bombshell report from the state’s attorney general that alleges the governor sexually harassed 11 women, including state employees and a New York state trooper,” Lemon said.

“And the president of the United States couldn’t be more blunt. Question: Should Governor Andrew Cuomo resign? Answer: Yes,” Lemon said, pulling no punches in his coverage that lasted much of his show.

Clips of the awkward handover quickly spread online, with numerous people calling it “super awkward.”

“That was tough to watch,” one person tweeted, while another viewer even jokingly offered “counseling sessions” to help “make their friendship great again.”

Many marveled at Lemon’s smile before cutting to the blunt news about his close friend’s brother.

“Love ya brother … SPEAKING of brothers, tonight’s top story!” one person quipped of the exchange, while another summed it up as, “‘I love you brother’ … stabs his brother [in] the back.”

“What’s creepier: the fact that this happened, or that Lemon doesn’t seem to be breaking a sweat or feeling any angst during the transition to knifing the other Cuomo 5 seconds later. He’s like upbeat,” another viewer wrote.

Chris Cuomo had been mentioned in Tuesday’s damning report for his role advising his governor brother in responding to the growing allegations by at least 11 women.

He had admitted doing so on his show in May, admitting it was “a mistake” that “was a problem for CNN.”

“I’m family first, job second,” he said at the time.

He previously told his viewers that while he was “aware of what’s going on … obviously I cannot cover it, because he is my brother.”