Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon sues Musk over canceled X deal
What's the story
Former CNN anchor, Don Lemon, has initiated legal action against billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The lawsuit, filed in the California Superior Court in San Francisco, alleges that Musk failed to compensate him following the termination of their partnership with social media platform X. This collaboration was abruptly ended in March after Lemon announced that Musk would be his debut interview guest on the platform.
Disapproval
Musk criticizes Lemon's approach post-partnership termination
Following the termination of their partnership, Musk took to X to voice his disapproval of Lemon's approach. He described it as essentially "CNN, but on social media," a strategy he believes is ineffective. Despite this criticism, Musk stated that Lemon was still welcome to build an audience on the platform. The deal with X and its sudden termination came after Lemon's departure from CNN in April last year, where he had been a prominent figure for 17 years.
Allegations
Lemon's lawsuit claims unpaid dues and damaged reputation
The lawsuit alleges that X leveraged Lemon's reputation to attract advertisers, only to terminate their agreement without compensation. It asserts that X had committed to paying Lemon a minimum of $1.5 million, along with additional incentive-based payments and a portion of advertising revenue. "This case is straightforward. X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don's name through the mud," stated Carney Shegerian, Lemon's attorney.
Challenges
X's struggles and attempts to attract advertisers
Since Musk's acquisition in 2022, X, previously known as Twitter, has had a tough time in retaining advertisers due to various controversies. In a bid to enhance video content and lure advertisers back, X entered into agreements with several high-profile individuals including Lemon, former US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, and sports radio host Jim Rome in January.