In a surprising turn of events, former CNN anchor Don Lemon has filed a lawsuit against billionaire Elon Musk over a collapsed content deal with social media platform X, despite the absence of a formal contract.
This development follows the cancellation of "The Don Lemon Show" after Lemon's contentious interview with Musk earlier this year.
According to the Gateway Pundit, Lemon has publicly addressed the issue, stating, "Elon Musk is mad at me, and I just put out a statement about what happened between him, me and the interview that he is apparently so upset about." This statement was accompanied by a video posted on X, further escalating the dispute.
The New York Times has reported that Lemon sued Musk and X, alleging that Musk reneged on his promise to financially support Lemon's show. In January, Lemon had agreed to bring his new show to X, a platform owned by Musk, as part of a strategy to create premium content and attract advertisers. The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco, details that Musk had agreed to pay Lemon $1.5 million annually to produce exclusive videos on X, share advertising revenue from these videos, and offer additional cash incentives as Lemon's account gained followers.
Musk had also agreed to be the inaugural guest on Lemon's show. However, the interview conducted in March quickly spiraled out of control as Lemon questioned Musk about his drug use and political views. Shortly thereafter, Musk terminated the deal.
Despite not having a formal contract, Lemon viewed this agreement as a springboard for his new show after his termination from CNN last year. The lawsuit reveals that Musk had reassured Lemon during a phone call that there was no need to "fill out paperwork" and that X would financially back the show regardless of Lemon's views.
Musk, on the other hand, has offered his explanation for the cancellation of Don Lemon's show. He stated on X, "His approach was basically just 'CNN, but on social media', which doesn't work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying." Musk further criticized the lack of authenticity in Lemon's approach, saying, "Instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don."
Despite the ongoing legal battle, Musk extended an invitation to Lemon and Zucker to build their viewership on X, stating, "All this said, Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else." This unfolding drama between Lemon and Musk underscores the complexities and potential pitfalls of content deals in the rapidly evolving social media landscape.
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