Elon Musk unexpectedly cancels Don Lemon's X talk show shortly after their interview.

March 14, 2024

Elon Musk unexpectedly cancels Don Lemon's X talk show shortly after their interview.

Lemon stated that Musk texted him 'contract terminated' following the former CNN anchor's interview with the billionaire.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon revealed on Wednesday that Elon Musk had abruptly ended an agreement to exclusively host Lemon's new talk show on X, previously known as Twitter. Lemon announced on the platform that Musk terminated the partnership just hours after they filmed an interview, which was intended to be the debut episode of the show. Lemon disclosed that Musk messaged him, stating "contract terminated."

In his post, Lemon remarked, "His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me."

Musk did not dispute canceling Lemon's show. The billionaire tweeted, "His approach was essentially 'CNN, but on social media', which is ineffective, given CNN's decline. Additionally, instead of it being the authentic Don Lemon, it was essentially Jeff Zucker speaking through Don, lacking authenticity. Despite this, Lemon/Zucker are welcome to grow their viewership on this platform alongside everyone else." Musk has previously described himself as a "free speech absolutist."

In his post on Wednesday, Lemon mentioned that he would still broadcast the interview with Musk on YouTube and X, accompanied by the side-eye emoji.

"While Elon reneges on his promise, I will reaffirm my dedication to free speech," Lemon affirmed.

Musk's company initially announced the talk show deal with Lemon in January, as X aimed to expand into video content and attract prominent hosts to the platform. The Don Lemon Show was planned to broadcast three 30-minute episodes weekly. Lemon was a prominent figure at CNN before being unexpectedly terminated by the network last April, following internal conflicts with other staff and an unsuccessful stint as a morning show host.

When Lemon disclosed his departure from CNN on X, Musk replied, asking if Lemon would consider hosting his show on the platform and claimed that the platform's "audience is larger" than CNN's. Musk also hosted the former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson's show on the platform after Carlson was fired by the network last year.

"Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, stating that I would have his 'full support' and that his 'digital town square is for everyone,'" Lemon remarked on Wednesday. "I took Elon and his management team at their word, believing that they were genuinely interested in collaborating with new and diverse voices for the first time."

Musk has encountered difficulties in attracting prominent figures to X as he attempts to shift the platform towards video content and persuade influencers like the popular YouTuber Mr. Beast to share their content. Last week, Musk also announced the launch of a long-form video streaming app that will be accessible on smart televisions.

Musk's expansion of X into video content is one of several strategies the platform is employing to offset declining advertising revenues. Following Musk's takeover, a number of major companies halted advertising on the platform, as researchers observed a surge in extremist content on X, including racism and antisemitism.

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Elon Musk unexpectedly cancels Don Lemon's X talk show shortly after their interview.

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