X’s big pivot to video will need to go on now without one of the three original shows it boasted about earlier this year.
Former CNN host Don Lemon announced via a post on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, that Elon Musk canceled his upcoming exclusive show on X – just hours after Musk sat down with Lemon for an interview being filmed for the very first episode.
“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 said in a lengthy statement on his X account. “He informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday.”
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Lemon’s previous post on X, published the day before, featuring a photo of Lemon sitting with Musk for the interview without any mention of the cancelation.
According to journalist Kara Swisher, Musk texted Lemon’s representatives shortly after the interview on Friday saying “Contract terminated.” However, Semafor reports that there was actually no signed contract to terminate, meaning Lemon’s deal with X was still being finalized.
Swisher says the deal between Lemon and X was worth millions of dollars and the company will still have to pay the former CNN host as part of the terms. It’s currently unconfirmed that an interview that apparently irked Musk led directly to the X owner immediately severing ties with Lemon, let alone which specific question would have set him off. Swisher points out that one of the questions Lemon asked Musk concerned Musk’s reported use of ketamine.
In a reply on X after the news broke, Musk claimed that the reason he ended X’s contract with Lemon was because the show was “CNN, but on social media,” which Musk went on to say “doesn’t work.”
X also put out a statement of its own saying Lemon can still use the platform and upload the show, but that the company “reserves the right to make decisions about our business partnerships.”
Just yesterday, Musk’s handpicked CEO Linda Yaccarino boasted about X becoming a “video first” platform. Lemon’s show was supposed to be one of a trio of exclusive programs on X that the company announced earlier this year in a big promotional push at the annual CES tech conference. X announced the Don Lemon Show in a partnership that would see Lemon’s program posted first, exclusively on Musk’s platform. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and sports radio personality Jim Rome also signed partnerships to create programming on X.
“We’ve been waiting for your return,” CEO Yaccarino posted on X earlier this year during CES. “Welcome @donlemon!!”
While the initial announcement about Lemon and his X partnership was from January, CEO Yaccarino has been interacting with Lemon on X just earlier this month.
“Lots to celebrate,” Yaccarino replied to a post by Lemon about a Client Council meeting where the former CNN host explained why “he chose X.”
“Epic year ahead!” Yaccarino continued saying to Lemon.
Less than two weeks later, Lemon’s show would be canceled by Musk.
According to Lemon, though, the show will continue to go ahead over on YouTube. The first interview, with Elon Musk, will be published on Monday, March 18.
