Elon Musk likens Don Lemon to spoiled little one from Charlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing facility after TV host ‘demanded free Tesla Cybertruck, $8M wage with $5M upfront, and a stake in X’ earlier than billionaire cancelled deal for brand new present

Elon Musk has in contrast the former CNN anchor Don Lemon to a spoiled little one from Charlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing facility after it was revealed the TV host had made an alleged sequence of calls for earlier than his new present streams on X.

Lemon is alleged to have requested a Tesla Cybertruck, an $8 million wage, an fairness stake in X along with a $5 million upfront fee on prime. 

In a posting to X on Friday evening, Musk merely wrote, Don ‘Veruca Salt’ Lemon, in reference to the character from the 1970 movie, that sees the teenager making clear her needs as she belts out ‘I need it now!’

Lemon is alleged to have demanded a flight to Las Vegas on a personal jet flight along with a set for him and his fiancé.

As well as it’s claimed Lemon requested for X to pay for a day of consuming and massages, the New York Put up is reporting.

But Musk reportedly nonetheless agreed to do the interview with Lemon regardless of his  extravagant calls for.

The alleged proposal was additionally formal slightly than whimsical with every thing positioned in writing in a contract despatched from United Expertise Company to X in December.

Officers at X acknowledged there was no ‘ultimate or signed settlement with Don Lemon or ‘The Don Lemon Present” 

However a spokesperson at UTA has poured chilly water on the claims describing it as ‘absolute, full utter nonsense with out an iota of reality to it.’ 

Lemon was resulting from accomplice with Musk’s X earlier than issues turned bitter after the journalist questioned him in regards to the rise in hate speech on his app. 

Lemon slammed the choice to have his present axed by Musk as an assault on his free speech.

Musk was fast counter by insisting Lemon continues to be free to share his present on the platform with out censorship, however ‘we reserve the best to make choices about our enterprise partnerships.’

‘We had dialog. Clearly he felt in a different way,’ Lemon stated in a scathing assertion, wherein he stated that he had entered an settlement to stream all of his exhibits on Musk’s platform earlier than the rug was pulled. 

‘His dedication to a worldwide city sq. the place all questions may be requested and all concepts may be shared appears to not embrace questions of him from individuals like me.’ 

The journalist’s new sequence, ‘The Don Lemon Present’, had entered into an settlement with X to advertise the present, which might have seen him share in income from adverts. 

After Lemon claimed that Musk was undercutting his free speech, the platform’s enterprise account clarified that he can nonetheless share his program, however ‘after cautious consideration, X determined to not enter right into a industrial partnership with the present.’ 

Lemon stated that regardless of the present being cancelled, he’ll nonetheless air the interview with Musk, which coated a variety of subjects ‘from SpaceX to the presidential election.’ 

‘This shall be simply the primary of many episodes of The Don Lemon Present,’ he added. The interview is ready to air on YouTube on March 18. 

‘Whereas Elon goes again on his phrase, I shall be doubling down on my dedication to free speech and I can’t wait to get began.’ 

In response, Musk stated that he determined to axe his partnership with the present after discovering Lemon’s strategy was ‘principally simply CNN, however on social media.’ 

‘And, as an alternative of it being the true Don Lemon, it was actually simply Jeff Zucker speaking via Don, so lacked authenticity,’ he stated.

A supply instructed The Put up that Musk was ‘underwhelmed’ on the finish of the present, and canned it after ‘realizing how unhealthy it was.’  

‘Don was underwhelming, unprepared and uninteresting,’ the insider continued. Though Swisher claimed they clashed over questions on Musk’s alleged drug use, the supply claimed Lemon did not ask any attention-grabbing or edgy questions. 

‘He didn’t ask Musk about (ex-girlfriend) Amber Heard. Elon most likely would have preferred it,’ they added. 

‘He was unpolished. He didn’t have producers in his ear. Jeff Zucker was once in his ear and he would repeat again every thing he was instructed,’ they stated, noting that Lemon had solely a barebones crew that included his fiancé. 

One other former CNN anchor, Brian Stelter, additionally waded into the argument on X, claiming a supply instructed him the interview was ‘like a nasty first date.’ 

Lemon was ousted from CNN in April 2023 following 17 years with the corporate, after he sparked backlash with a number of controversial remarks, together with branding Nikki Haley ‘previous her prime.’ 

He additionally confronted allegations from feminine co-workers who claimed that he had a historical past of misogynistic habits, which he denied. 

The X present was meant to be a comeback for Lemon, and he was slated to tape three 30-minute episodes per week. He was recruited for a slate of exhibits, with offers additionally lately handed to Tulsi Gabbard and sports activities host Jim Rome. 

It was reported in January that Lemon entered an unique publishing take care of X, which has now seemingly halted monetization he would have obtained. He countered that he’ll now be sharing his content material on YouTube.  

After releasing his assertion, Lemon took to X to launch a video of himself strolling via New York, the place he claimed Musk was ‘so upset’ about their interview. 

‘This doesn’t change something in regards to the present, apart from my relationship with Elon and X,’ he stated. 

‘I do know that lots of you weren’t blissful that I used to be doing this within the first place, and also you instructed me so. 

‘I simply need you to know that I did this deal as a result of not solely do I consider in free speech, however I believed that this was my absolute best probability for the work that I am doing to succeed in the biggest quantity of individuals.’ 

On Friday, Lemon appeared on The View to the forthcoming present, which continues to be going forward via different platforms. 

He was consoled in regards to the cancellation by the panel 

‘I feel getting fired by Elon Musk is one thing you need to put on as a badge of honor,’ host Ana Navarro instructed him.

Regardless of the rift, Lemon revealed he was in a position to glean some extra details about Musk’s relationship with Donald Trump which has been within the highlight following reviews the 2 billionaires had met.

‘Did he present his hand on whether or not he would assist Trump?’ Host Alyssa Griffin requested.

‘He did discuss in regards to the assembly, why he went down, the context and the venue have been in and he did discuss to me about what the previous president did must say,’ Lemon replied.

Musk met with Trump in Palm Seaside, Florida, fueling hypothesis he may very well be about to supply a much-needed money injection into the presidential hopeful’s marketing campaign. 

Scant particulars have been launched in regards to the assembly, though Musk publicly got here out to disclaim he can be endorsing any candidate shortly after.

The South African CEO invited Lemon to carry his present to X after the previous CNN host was dumped by the community on April 2023 after allegations of misogyny.

However Musk reneged on the multimillion-dollar deal hours after the sit-down, the place Lemon requested him about hate speech on Twitter and his drug use.

In a single clip performed on The View, Lemon requested Musk about X customers and hate speech together with the ‘nice substitute principle’ which Musk himself has amplified.

The ‘Nice Alternative Idea’ preaches that white European populations are being demographically and culturally changed by non-white peoples – particularly from Muslim international locations.

However the billionaire was unimpressed and refused to reply the query immediately, telling Lemon he didn’t must comply with the interview.

‘I haven’t got to reply questions from reporters. Don the one motive I am doing this interview is since you’re on the X platform and also you requested for it. I am criticized consistently I may care much less.’ 

The trade prompted The View co-host Pleasure Behar to model Musk a ‘snowflake’ and to ask Lemon if he knew what he was entering into with the controversial billionaire.

‘There’s an outdated saying within the south, you knew I used to be a snake if you picked me up. I am not saying he’s a snake, however it’s relative to this case I went into it with my eyes open.

‘Really I went into it with the most effective of intentions. I’m an unbiased no matter what individuals suppose, Elon Musk thinks I am on the left, I’m an unbiased.

‘I consider in free speech. I consider individuals have the best to say no matter they wish to say however you undergo the implications for it.

‘Twitter or X is among the greatest data platforms on the earth so why cede that to extremists? I needed to get on their and battle it out so that everyone may have a voice.’

Within the clips which have surfaced from Lemon’s encounter with Musk, which Lemon described as ‘tense at moments,’ the pair coated a wide-range of subjects, together with Musk’s use of medicine, his lack of assist for Joe Biden and points over moderation at X.

CNN aired footage exhibiting Lemon asking Musk about his leisure use of horse tranquilizer ketamine.

The Tesla founder’s use of the drug has been extensively reported on and he himself has admitted to taking it.

‘The rationale I discussed ketamine with prescription on the X platform is as a result of I assumed: ‘Possibly that is one thing that might assist different individuals.’ That is why I discussed it.

‘Clearly I am not a health care provider however I’d say that if somebody has despair points, they need to contemplate speaking to their physician about ketamine.’

Journalist Kara Swisher tweeted after information of Lemon’s present being cancelled that she had warned him that it might occur, as she branded Musk ‘the grownup toddler.’ 

She claimed that Musk’s indignant response got here after he was requested ‘questions on his ketamine use’, a problem raised in a New Yorker article final yr that claimed his use of the drug has ‘escalated.’ 

Citing these near him, the article alleged that ‘the drug, alongside his isolation and his more and more embattled relationship with the press, would possibly contribute to his tendency to make chaotic and impulsive statements and choices.’