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The out former CNN anchor announced that the billionaire reversed his decision to partner with the journalist on distributing his new show.
Elon Musk abruptly ended his partnership with Don Lemon merely hours after the gay former CNN anchor promoted an interview with Musk as the premiere episode of The Don Lemon Show on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms.
On Tuesday, Lemon had heightened anticipation for the episode, promising viewers a unique look at Musk: “First guest. Elon Musk like you’ve never seen him before. You won’t want to miss this.”
However, the buildup to the episode was overshadowed by Musk’s sudden cancellation of the partnership on Wednesday. Lemon disclosed the decision in a statement, expressing his disappointment. “Elon Musk has canceled the partnership I had with X, which they announced as part of their public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices on their platform,” Lemon revealed. He highlighted the contradiction between Musk’s initial encouragement and the subsequent retraction of support after a tense but respectful interview.
Lemon further discussed the issue on Instagram, voicing his concerns over Musk’s commitment to free speech, especially following their challenging conversation.
“Throughout our conversation, I kept reiterating to him, although it was tense at times, I thought it was good for people to see our exchange,” Lemon commented. He observed a discrepancy between Musk’s professed dedication to free speech absolutism and his actions.
News of the cancellation intensifies existing concerns about Musk’s purported advocacy for free speech in light of his history of actions against critics, attacks on marginalized communities, transphobic and racist remarks, and legal challenges against detractors.
In January, Lemon, who had been fired from CNN in 2023, announced his return to television with the debut of his new show. At the time, critics had raised questions over Lemon’s willingness to work with the right-wing billionaire who has been increasingly hostile toward LGBTQ+ people.
In defending Musk’s decision, X released a statement emphasizing their commitment to allowing uncensored content publication while maintaining the right to conclude business partnerships. “The Don Lemon Show is welcome to publish its content on X, without censorship, as we believe in providing a platform for creators to scale their work and connect with new communities,” the company wrote in a statement.
“[Don Lemon’s] approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying. And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity,” Musk wrote on X. “All this said, Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else.”
According to CNN, Lemon’s spokesperson has indicated that they expect Musk to honor the financial terms of their agreement, suggesting potential legal action to ensure fulfillment.
“While Elon goes back on his word, I will be doubling down on my commitment to free speech and I cannot wait to get started,” Lemon wrote.
