OAN’s Brooke Mallory
1:48 PM – Wednesday, March 13, 2024
On the social media site X, formerly Twitter, Don Lemon said on Wednesday that Elon Musk had canceled the former CNN anchor’s upcoming talk show—before a single episode had even aired.
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Musk purportedly expressed displeasure in a statement on X about an interview he conducted with the channel on Friday, which took place nearly two months after their agreement was revealed.
“There were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to, and my questions were respectful and wide-ranging, covering everything from SpaceX to the presidential election,” Lemon said. “We had a good conversation. Clearly, he felt differently.”
Lemon added that X and YouTube would still have the Musk interview available for viewing. “While Elon goes back on his word, I will be doubling down on my commitment to free speech,” he continued.
In a later video that was uploaded on X, Lemon says, “Hi, everyone. Elon Musk is mad at me.” He went on to describe their one-on-one convo as very “tense.”
Verified corporate accounts for X acknowledged in a post that the company has “decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.” Musk had responded to a question from an X user asking for specific explanations regarding Lemon’s show being canceled. However, Elon essentially accused Lemon of acting as a spokesman for former CNN CEO Jeff Zucker, who resigned in early 2022.
“Instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity,” Musk explained.
In January, Lemon, who was let go by CNN in April of last year, signed a content agreement with X as part of an effort to broaden the company’s video services. Additionally, the website collaborated with sports personality Jim Rome and former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, D.C.
“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.’ … 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,” Lemon said in his statement.
After seizing control of the formerly-named Twitter in late 2022, Musk pledged to turn the network into a venue for free speech.
The right-wing commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has since started his own independent media company, was the internet mogul’s first media collaborator.
On the same day that Fox News revealed Carlson’s departure, Lemon said he was fired from CNN. Following the publication of an article by Variety regarding claims that Lemon had mistreated a large number of female coworkers during his career, word of his departure spread.
In addition, Lemon faced major criticism for remarks he made on air regarding the Republican candidate for president at the time, Nikki Haley, which were perceived by the majority of CNN viewers as both ageist and sexist.
Since Lemon is an openly homosexual man, many progressive online users at the time theorized that his seemingly sexist comments correlated with the former CNN anchor having deep-rooted issues with women, and the fact that he is not attracted to females only exacerbates these issues, social media users claimed.
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