Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has apparently terminated his partnership with former CNN host Don Lemon following an interview that was conducted on Friday.
What Happened: On Wednesday, Lemon took to X, formerly Twitter, and revealed the abrupt end of his partnership with Musk’s social media platform in a video.
He said that the billionaire owner of X had called off the partnership shortly after his interview. “Hi, everyone. Elon Musk is mad at me," Lemon said in the video, adding that the tech mogul was “apparently so upset” about the interview that he cancelled the show.
Despite the cancellation, Lemon assured that the interview, which was part of his new media company’s first project, The Don Lemon Show, would still premiere on YouTube and “everywhere you listen to podcast.” He also said that on Monday, March 18, he will also post the interview on X.
Musk, addressing the termination on X, criticized Lemon’s approach as “basically just ‘CNN, but on social media.'” He alleged that the interview lacked authenticity, attributing it to former CNN president Jeff Zucker speaking through Lemon.
“His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn't work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Musk posted on X, adding, “And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity.”
The tech billionaire also said despite all this, “Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else.”
Why It Matters: Lemon’s partnership with X was part of a broader initiative by Musk to diversify the platform’s content and attract a wider audience.
In January, X announced three new shows featuring Lemon, former lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, and sports commentator Jim Rome, a move perceived by some as an effort to shift focus from Musk’s controversial posts.
Lemon’s departure from CNN in April 2023, after a series of criticized on-air remarks and a report of alleged misogynistic behavior toward colleagues, was part of a larger shakeup in cable news.
This included the unexpected firing of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, which led to both Carlson and Lemon hiring the same lawyer to handle their exits from their respective networks.
Photo by Camilo Concha on Shutterstock
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