Why it issues: A decide has dominated that the lawsuit introduced by Don Lemon towards Elon Musk and X over the cancelation of the previous CNN host’s present can go to trial. Musk canceled The Don Lemon Present, which was to be hosted solely on X, a number of hours after the pair had a tense interview that was purported to be a part of the debut episode.
San Francisco Superior Courtroom Choose Harold E. Kahn mentioned that Lemon’s case can go forward after Musk’s staff tried to have the case moved to a Texas courtroom and tried to have the decide strike the grievance.
Choose Kahn mentioned in his order that Lemon’s authorized staff plausibly alleged that X and Musk had dedicated “fraud by false promise” and that there was “an implied contract” between the events.
“The ruling means Don can maintain X and Musk accountable in open courtroom. Musk is topic to the authorized course of, similar to everybody else, and that is necessary,” mentioned Carney Shegerian, who’s representing Lemon.
Originally of 2024, Lemon revealed that he had performed a wide-ranging, 90-minute interview with Musk, throughout which he posed quite a few questions masking a broad spectrum of subjects. In response to Lemon, one of many extra contentious points he raised concerned the prevalence of hate speech on X.
Lemon defined that he intentionally challenged Musk on this subject, particularly given the billionaire’s fame for being brazenly vital of journalists and the media. He particularly wished to know whether or not Musk and his management staff felt an ethical or company obligation to actively average hateful and dangerous content material on X, given the platform’s world affect and attain.
“I haven’t got to reply questions from reporters, Don,” Musk replied. “The one cause I am doing this interview is since you’re on the X platform and also you requested for it. In any other case, I might not do that interview.”
Lemon additionally questioned Musk a few latest assembly with Donald Trump – Musk emphasised that Trump by no means requested him for cash. The billionaire was additionally requested about his use of ketamine and whether or not it might be a difficulty for his authorities safety clearance. Musk mentioned it would not as he has a prescription for the drug.
Lemon says that a number of hours after the interview concluded, Musk despatched him a message that learn “contract terminated.”
Musk’s personal clarification for why the present was canceled got here within the type of an X submit. “His (Lemon’s) strategy was principally simply ‘CNN, however on social media’, which does not work, as evidenced by the truth that CNN is dying. And, as a substitute of it being the actual Don Lemon, it was actually simply Jeff Zucker speaking by means of Don, so lacked authenticity,” he wrote.
Musk had requested Lemon if he’d think about doing his present on X after the host introduced that he’d been fired from CNN following studies that he mistreated coworkers and made sexist remarks on air. Musk mentioned that the platform had a much bigger viewers than the TV community.
After Lemon filed his lawsuit in August 2024, Musk wrote on X that “He made a sequence of impressively insane calls for. We declined. Subsequently, there was no deal.”
Lemon reportedly demanded $5 million upfront on high of an $8 million wage, in addition to an fairness stake in X. In response to The New York Submit, he additionally wished a free Tesla Cybertruck and a personal jet to Las Vegas full with a collection for him and his fiancé – and for the corporate to pay for his or her day ingesting and massages.
In response to courtroom data, Lemon was to obtain $1.5 million, in addition to a 60% minimize in advert income and performance-related bonuses primarily based on the present’s variety of followers. Lemon claimed within the go well with that he was “rushed” into agreeing to the partnership deal.
Lemon’s claims towards Musk and X embody fraud, misappropriation of identify and likeness and breach of implied contract. The decide dismissed allegations reminiscent of negligent misrepresentation, defamation, retaliation, negligence and harassment. A date has not been set for the trial.
