Tense interview that sparked Don Lemon and Elon Musk feud as ex-CNN host sues tech boss for axing his show from X

FORMER CNN journalist Don Lemon has sued Elon Musk after the billionaire seemingly yanked the show after appearing in the first episode.

Musk , who appeared during The Don Lemon Show premiere in March, seemed to get visibly annoyed with the veteran journalist during his interview.

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Lemon’s lawsuit, which was filed in a San Francisco court, alleged that the X CEO coerced him into investing thousands of dollars based on “false promises and representations.”

“This case is straightforward,” Carney Shegerian. Lemon’s attorney said in a statement, reports CNN .

“X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don’s name through the mud.

“You don’t have to be a genius to see the fraud, negligence, and reputational damage here.”

The U.S. Sun reached out to both Musk and Lemon for comment.

Within the lawsuit, Lemon claims that X’s chief executive Linda Yaccarino promised the former journalist a whopping $1.5 million deal as well as revenue-sharing incentives to post the show on the social media platform before going anywhere else.

Lemon states in the lawsuit that he was initially unsure about entering into an agreement with Musk but confessed that he was ultimately won over when he met with Yaccarino and Brett Weitz in New York City .

According to the journalist, he was promised that he would have the company’s full backing.

X has yet to comment on the lawsuit.

However, the company has stated that they “reserve the right to make decisions about our business partnerships.”

According to the statement, “After careful consideration, X decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.”

During the show’s inaugural episode , Musk became agitated with Lemon while being interviewed at Tesla ‘s headquarters located in Texas .

Lemon pressed the SpaceX owner on several hot topics including the continued use of hate speech on X and Musk’s open use of prescription ketamine.

According to Lemon, there were no restrictions on the conversation.

A TIMELINE OF DON LEMON'S DOOMED SHOW

Don Lemon's X-based show was recently canceled after Elon Musk seemingly gave it the hook after the first disasterous first interview

JANUARY 2024 : Don Lemon announced that he is partnering with X to create a brand new show.

MARCH 2024 : Lemon interviews Muskon on several hot topics including the continued use of hate speech on X and Musk’s open use of prescription ketamine.

Mere hours after the interview airs, Musk yanks the show,

August 2024: Lemon files a lawsuit against the X CEO claiming that he lured in under false pretenses.

“We had a good conversation,” Lemon said while appearing on CNN after his show had gotten the hook.

“Clearly he felt differently. 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.”

Lemon’s show was first announced in January that he would be partnering with Musk to create a “digital town square.”

“Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’ and that his ‘digital town square is for all,” Lemon said at the time of his show’s announcement.

“He and his team pursued the deal in numerous conversations and made significant commitments about the support X would provide for the show.”

“I made the decision to work with them in a unique partnership that I believed would ultimately assure that my work would be available to the most people, in the largest possible venue,” he added.

“I took Elon and his management team’s word that they, for the first time, were interested in working directly with new and diverse voices.”

The discontinuation of the show left Lemon confused.

“They pursued me so hard that they were going to put me on the platform and give me as much assistance that I needed … and they didn’t do that,” he stated.

Despite the discontinuation of the show, X has announced that Lemon will still be allowed to publish the show’s content on the platform without fear of censorship.

The interview will also be available for streaming on YouTube , Apple Podcast and Spotify.

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