Former CNN anchor Don Lemon filed a lawsuit in opposition to Elon Musk and social media platform X on Thursday, alleging that Musk reneged on a profitable content material deal that fell aside after a contentious interview.
Lemon claims that Musk agreed to pay him $1.5 million yearly for unique video content material on X, alongside a share of promoting income and extra incentives tied to follower development, reported NYT.Nonetheless, the deal collapsed after a March interview wherein Lemon questioned Musk about his drug use and political beliefs.
Lemon’s lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court docket in San Francisco, asserts that Musk assured him a contract was pointless, promising verbal assist for the present regardless of any controversial opinions Lemon may specific. The lawsuit additionally alleges that Lemon was pressured by X executives to publicly announce the partnership on the CES expertise convention in January, with the specter of withdrawing the deal if he didn’t comply.
The collaboration between Lemon and X was a part of Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s broader technique to draw advertisers by creating premium content material with well-known personalities. Regardless of preliminary promotions and public posts from each Yaccarino and Musk, the fallout from the interview led Musk to abruptly cancel the settlement. He later criticized Lemon’s present idea as unoriginal, saying it resembled “CNN, however on social media,” quoted NYT.
Musk and X have but to touch upon the lawsuit, which accuses them of utilizing Lemon to bolster their promoting pitch earlier than unceremoniously canceling the partnership and damaging Lemon’s fame.
Lemon claims that Musk agreed to pay him $1.5 million yearly for unique video content material on X, alongside a share of promoting income and extra incentives tied to follower development, reported NYT.Nonetheless, the deal collapsed after a March interview wherein Lemon questioned Musk about his drug use and political beliefs.
Lemon’s lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court docket in San Francisco, asserts that Musk assured him a contract was pointless, promising verbal assist for the present regardless of any controversial opinions Lemon may specific. The lawsuit additionally alleges that Lemon was pressured by X executives to publicly announce the partnership on the CES expertise convention in January, with the specter of withdrawing the deal if he didn’t comply.
The collaboration between Lemon and X was a part of Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s broader technique to draw advertisers by creating premium content material with well-known personalities. Regardless of preliminary promotions and public posts from each Yaccarino and Musk, the fallout from the interview led Musk to abruptly cancel the settlement. He later criticized Lemon’s present idea as unoriginal, saying it resembled “CNN, however on social media,” quoted NYT.
Musk and X have but to touch upon the lawsuit, which accuses them of utilizing Lemon to bolster their promoting pitch earlier than unceremoniously canceling the partnership and damaging Lemon’s fame.
