Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk sat for an interview for Don Lemon’s show—and then X announced it had been cancelled.
Most of the interwebs are in agreement that Elon Musk is, at the very least, problematic. His once-glossy reputation as the real-life Tony Stark has since waned significantly, now replaced with being the guy who goes on odd tirades against billionaire ex-wives and makes anti-Semitic remarks.
This would have meant nothing if he was just another rich dude who goes on social media to say a lot of sometimes weird, sometimes racist remarks (there’s another guy like that who might end up being president again). But Musk also owns X aka the Platform Formerly Known as Twitter, and he touts himself as a paragon of free speech.
After X recently cancelled Don Lemon’s yet-to-be aired show, that may not seem like the case anymore.
[Hero image: Sergei GAPON / AFP©]
X cancels The Don Lemon Show after a tense interview with Elon Musk
We’re delighted to announce a new content partnership with @DonLemon for his new project, The Don Lemon Show. The award winning TV journalist will share his unique and honest voice in 30 minute episodes, three times a week, covering politics, culture, sports and entertainment.…
— Business (@XBusiness) January 9, 2024
Back in January, X tweeted that they had struck a new content partnership with former CNN anchor Don Lemon. The Don Lemon Show was going to have 30-minute episodes that dropped three times a week on the platform with Lemon exploring a range of topics. Apparently, for his first episode, Lemon decided to focus on the singular individual who’s become the face of X: Elon Musk.
Just today, X announced that it had cancelled the partnership. “We reserve the right to make decisions about our business partnerships, and after careful consideration, X decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.”
No official reason was given as to why the partnership fell through.
“I don’t have to answer these questions”
Elon Musk canceled #TheDonLemonShow👀
Watch on YouTube and listen everywhere on Monday March 18. pic.twitter.com/AAhnvcY0ny
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) March 13, 2024
Lemon’s interview with Musk was apparently quite tense. “Elon Musk is mad at me,” Lemon said in a video he posted on X. He also went on Instagram and explained that Musk cancelled the partnership only hours after their interview.
In an appearance on the former news channel he used to work on, Lemon gave a glimpse of the interview, which is still set to air on March 18 on YouTube, on podcast platforms, and ironically, on X. In the clip, Lemon asks if Musk feels any responsibility to moderate hate speech on X and mentions the anti-Semitic “Great Replacement Theory”.
“I don’t have to answer these questions,” Musk replies. “The only reason I’m in this interview is because you’re on the X platform and you asked for it. Otherwise, I would not be doing this interview.”
“I couldn’t care less”
X is a platform that champions free speech, and we’re proud to provide an open environment for diverse voices and perspectives. 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…
— Business (@XBusiness) March 13, 2024
It’s interesting and quite telling that it only took a few hours (at least, according to Lemon) before Musk cancelled the show. Ironically, the very tweet that announced the cancellation said, “X is a platform that champions free speech, and we’re proud to provide an open environment for diverse voices and perspectives.”
Musk went on X to give his reason as to why Lemon’s show was cancelled. He said it was because Lemon lacked “authenticity”.
His 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.
All this said, Lemon/Zucker are…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 13, 2024
In the very same clip, Lemon asks Musk about the criticism he gets regarding free speech.
“I’m criticised constantly,” replies Musk. “I couldn’t care less.”
Eric E. Surbano
Senior Writer, Entertainment
Eric can be found lost in his own world jamming with headphones on while writing when he's not prepping for a DnD session or researching 'Star Wars' galactic history on Wookiepedia. A proud Ravenclaw, he loves playing (and writing about) video games, humming the 'Doctor Who' theme under his breath, and rewatching 'Friends', 'New Girl', and 'The West Wing'.
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