Don Lemon has revealed he’ll no longer air his show on X after Elon Musk pulled the plug on it.
The former CNN host was set to debut the first episode of his new “Don Lemon Show” on X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, with his interview with Musk scheduled to be the first episode.
However, he did state that the planned release would be on YouTube, as he intends to “double down” on his “commitment to free expression.”
Don Lemon Says Elon Musk Cancelled His X Show
Lemon took to X to announce his botched partnership with the Musk-led platform, noting that his new show would no longer air on it after the tech billionaire seemingly backtracked on his word.
In a post he captioned “News from Me,” the media personality disclosed that Musk had publicly encouraged him to join the platform with a news show, pledging his “full support” and also saying that his “digital town square is for all.”
Implying that his debut episode, which was an interview with the Tesla boss, wasn’t the problem, Lemon noted that “there were no restrictions” in the interview and that they “had a good conversation,” as his questions were “respectful and wide-ranging.”
News from me…#TheDonLemonShow pic.twitter.com/PzlKuvkZtj
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) March 13, 2024
Lemon proceeded to subtly shade Musk’s “commitment to a global town square,” alleging that the tech billionaires’ quest to create a space where “all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared” seemed not to include questions from him.
Lemon shared that his interview with Musk will remain the premiere episode of his “Don Lemon Show” and will go on to air on YouTube as planned.
“While Elon goes back on his word, I will be doubling down, I will be doubling down on my commitment to free speech, and I cannot wait to get started,” the former CNN anchor concluded.
X Fronted An Expansion Of Content Partnerships
In its quest to pivot to a more video-centric offering, X had lined up Lemon’s show alongside a program hosted by former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and a sports talk show hosted by former Fox Sports host Jim Rome to champion its video content push.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the company also brokered a 10-show deal with Range Media Partners and picked up a series from the WWE called WWE Speed, which features ultra-quick-timed matches.
Lemon took to the platform at the time to announce the deal when he wrote that he was “back, bigger, bolder, freer!”
“My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening,” he continued, touting X as “the biggest space for free space in the world.”
“I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning, so stay tuned,” Lemon added.
Musk’s U-turn on Lemon’s show has now raised questions about the company’s approach to partnerships and free speech.
Elon Musk Gets Sued By Former Twitter Executives
The SpaceX boss got into a legal fight after four former executives filed a lawsuit collectively seeking more than $128 million in unpaid severance, per THR.
The executives, including former chief executive Parag Agrawal and other top officers, allege in a complaint filed in a California federal court that they were fired for gross negligence or willful misconduct in a bid to deprive them of benefits.
“This is the Musk playbook: to keep the money he owes other people and force them to sue him,” Agrawal stated in the complaint, which also names former company executives Ned Segal, Vijaya Gadde, and Sean Edgett as plaintiffs.
He added: “Even in defeat, Musk can impose delay, hassle, and expense on others less able to afford it.”
The Tesla Founder Allegedly Tried To Devise A Scheme To Stiff Them Of Severance
The complaint also alleged that Musk devised a scheme to stiff them of severance by hastening his takeover deal’s close and manufacturing fake “cause” terminations before they could resign and collect their benefits.
They alleged that their termination letters claimed they were being fired for failure to cooperate with a government or internal investigation but did not identify specific claims.
However, the suit said their contracts contained standard “good reason” provisions that triggered their rights to benefits, which included Twitter becoming a privately held company.
The company allegedly denied the executives’ claims for severance, noting that they were fired for gross negligence and willful misconduct, primarily for paying retention bonuses and success fees to an unidentified and redacted party in the complaint for “their work in negotiating, litigating, and closing the acquisition.”
Elon Musk Dethroned As World’s Richest Man
Musk was recently ousted from the top spot on the world’s richest person’s list after his net worth dipped.
According to Bloomberg, Musk’s decline in wealth is partly due to the recent 7.2% fall in Tesla’s shares. He now sits on a reported net worth of $197.7 billion after losing over $31 billion in a few weeks.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos surpassed him on the Bloomberg Index’s world’s richest ranking after his Amazon shares increased by 17%, bringing his net worth to $23 billion. The Blue Origin boss has now reclaimed the top spot, with a net worth of more than $200 billion.
He also reportedly raised over $8 billion when he disposed of 50 million of his Amazon shares. Bezos still owns about 9% of the company, which allows him to continue making profits.
