Don Lemon sues Elon Musk over canceled X show
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Don Lemon attends the 2024 Native Son Awards at IAC Building on June 12, 2024 in New York City. Photo: Joy Malone/Getty Images
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon sued Elon Musk and X Thursday, alleging the tech mogul refused to pay him after the contract for his show for the social media platform was canceled.
Why it matters: A tense interview between Musk and Lemon earlier this year preceded the show's cancellation, sparking further scrutiny of the billionaire's controversial leadership of the platform formerly known as Twitter.
- Lemon claimed in the lawsuit that Musk and his team made false promises to rush him into agreeing to an exclusive partnership.
- Since purchasing the platform, Musk has reinstated accounts that have shared extremist content or conspiracy theories and been accused of taking a forgiving stance toward hateful speech.
State of play: Lemon alleged in a court filing that Musk and his team sought to strike a deal at a time he was "vulnerable" after CNN fired him, but said the platform subsequently failed to compensate him despite seeking to capitalize on his name, likeness, identity and reputation.
- "A gay, Black man with an excellent reputation and a household name, he was the perfect candidate to partner with to aid their dying advertisement revenue," the complaint reads.
- Musk agreed to pay Lemon $1.5 million annually for his work and a percentage of advertising revenue, per court documents.
Zoom in: Within one day of the interview, Musk allegedly texted Lemon's agent saying his partnership contract was canceled.
- By the time the first episode was taped, the lawsuit reads, Lemon had spent "hundreds of thousands" of dollars preparing for the show and building his own media company.
- But as of Thursday, Lemon alleges, he has yet to receive a single payment.
Friction point: Axios previously confirmed that X did not have a signed contract with the former CNN anchor, but there was a shared understanding that an agreement would be codified.
- In response to Lemon's reservations about entering a deal, Musk "represented to Lemon that he would have full authority and
control over the work he produced even if disliked by defendants, and that there would be no need for a formal written agreement or to 'fill out paperwork,'" court filings allege.
What they're saying: "This case is straightforward," Lemon's attorney Carney Shegerian said in a statement. "X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don's name through the mud."
- Shegerian added: "We look forward to our day in court."
- X representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read the full complaint below.
Go deeper: Elon Musk clarifies "go f**k yourself" remark as he woos X advertisers
