Don Lemon Takes Legal Action Against Elon Musk
In a lawsuit filed, Don Lemon accuses Elon Musk and X of fraud, negligence, and reputational damage following a canceled show deal.
Published August 02, 2024 - 00:08am
Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming that the tech mogul and his social media firm engaged in fraudulent activities that led to the cancellation of Lemon's show and significant financial losses.
The suit was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, and accuses Musk and X of various allegations, including fraud, breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, and misappropriation of Lemon's name and likeness. Lemon is seeking unspecified monetary damages for the reputational and financial harm caused by the alleged actions of Musk and X.
According to Lemon's attorney, Carney Shegerian, the case is straightforward: X executives used Lemon to boost their advertising sales pitch and then unceremoniously canceled their partnership, causing significant reputational damage to Lemon. The lawsuit claims that Musk and X convinced Lemon to invest heavily in starting an online show through false promises and misrepresentations.
The Don Lemon Show was announced to be part of X's new video-first content strategy alongside other personalities such as former U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and sports radio host Jim Rome. The show, which aimed to air 30-minute segments three times a week covering a range of topics including politics, culture, sports, and entertainment, was set to mark Lemon's return to public broadcasting after his departure from CNN.
Lemon claims that Musk persuaded him with promises of an annual sum of $1.5 million, control over his content, and financial incentives based on advertising revenue and follower counts. However, the deal fell apart just hours after Lemon's contentious interview with Musk, where Lemon pressed Musk on various issues including his content moderation policy and controversial political beliefs. Musk's dissatisfaction with the interview allegedly led to the cancellation of the partnership.
Musk publicly justified the cancellation by stating that Lemon's show was essentially a replication of CNN's format but on social media, which he claimed didn't work due to CNN's declining viewership. Musk also added that the show lacked authenticity, attributing it to former CNN president Jeff Zucker's influence on Lemon.
Lemon's suit also points out that Musk never presented a formal contract for him to sign, allowing X to back out of the deal without compensating Lemon for the expenses he incurred in forming his media company, which included production deals, equipment purchases, and hiring staff.
In the lawsuit, Lemon argues that X and Musk's actions were a deceitful attempt to profit from his reputation by attracting advertisers to the platform. Before the cancellation, both Lemon and X executives had publicly expressed excitement about the partnership, with Lemon calling X the biggest space for free speech in the world and X CEO Linda Yaccarino stating they had been waiting for Lemon's return.
Despite Musk's public statements and the excitement surrounding the launch, Lemon faced immediate termination of the deal after the first episode was taped but not aired. Lemon's legal team emphasizes that the reputational damage and financial losses he has suffered are significant, making it a straightforward case of fraud and negligence on the part of X and its executives.
Lemon is resolved to defend his good name and hold X's executives accountable for their actions, according to his attorney. The lawsuit highlights the contentious relationship between the media industry and social media platforms, especially when high-profile personalities are involved. As the case progresses, it will shed light on the responsibilities and ethical obligations of tech giants in their dealings with media figures.
Meanwhile, X has yet to comment on the lawsuit. An automatic reply from their press inquiry mailbox simply states, Busy now, please check back later.