Former CNN news anchor Don Lemon filed a lawsuit on Thursday alleging Elon Musk refused to pay him after Lemon’s contract with the social media platform was abruptly cancelled. The contract, signed in January 2024, was cancelled in March following what Musk called a contentious interview with him on Lemon’s first show on X. The testy sit-down, which included Lemon grilling Musk about hate speech on the platform, led to the billionaire calling Lemon’s agent to tell him the deal was off, reports the New York Post, adding, “Musk slammed Lemon in a social media post on March 13, saying he had decided to axe the project because its host “lacked authenticity.” Musk said Lemon’s presentation was “’CNN, but on social media,’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying.” Lemon’s suit, filed in San Francisco, alleges breach of contract and the use of his name to attract advertisers. “This case is straightforward. X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then cancelled their partnership and dragged Don’s name through the mud,” said Lemon’s attorney Carney Shegerian. “You don’t have to be a genius to see the fraud, negligence, and reputational damage here. Don is an accomplished and hard-hitting journalist who’s committed to defending his good name and holding X’s executives accountable. We look forward to our day in court,” he added. According to the New York Post, the lawsuit claims Lemon agreed to a one-year deal worth at least $1.5 million, as well as a 60% cut in ad revenue and performance-related bonuses based on how many followers his show picked up. The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) added the lawsuit alleges Musk committed fraud, misrepresented the platform when pitching the deal, breached the contract, misappropriated Lemon’s name and likeness, and unjustly profited from it, according to the court documents. Reports indicate Lemon demanded a US$5 million upfront payment on top of an US$8 million salary, plus an equity stake in the social media platform to do the show. “He also apparently insisted on a free Tesla Cybertruck, a private jet to Las Vega complete with a suite for him and his fiancé and that the company pay for their day drinking and massages,” reports The Post, adding Lemon also claims he was forced to give a speech praising the platform in front of possible advertisers. Lemon was fired from his job as anchor of CNN This Morning in April 2023 after a series of on-air controversies, including his suggestion that GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not “in her prime” and should not comment on the age of other politicians. He also had run-ins with CNN co-host Kaitlan Collins, allegedly “screaming” at her off-camera in an incident that led her to run out of the studio, as reported at the time by The Post. The suit seeks an undisclosed amount in monetary damages, according to the filings. When DCNF reached out to Musk for comment, it got a message back saying, “Busy now, please check back latter."
