• by Colin Kirkland , March 13, 2024

Don Lemon’s new show on X has been canceled before its first episode ever aired, according to a statement posted by the former CNN anchor, which says X owner Elon Musk canceled the show hours after Lemon interviewed Musk for the first episode.

“Elon Musk has canceled the partnership I had with X, which they announced as part of their public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices on their platform,” Lemon wrote. “He informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday.”

The Don Lemon Show was first announced in January alongside similar “video-first” content deals between X and former U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, as well as sports radio host Jim Rome.

Lemon's show would have marked the anchor's first public broadcasting job since April, when he was fired from CNN after 17 years of working for the multinational news channel.

“You will find it first on X,” Lemon said upon the announcement of his show. “The biggest space for free speech in the world.”

X CEO Linda Yaccarino replied to Lemon's January post on X, stating: “We've been waiting for your return.”

According to X’s business account, the platform still “champions free speech” (X says Lemon can still publish the show's content on the microblogging platform) but with “careful consideration” has decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.

Musk's response to the program cancellation has made it clear that the billionaire disagreed with Lemon’s approach, which Musk said “was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media,’ which doesn't work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying.”

“Instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity,” Musk added. “All this said, Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else.”

In his statement, Lemon describes asking Musk “respectful” and “wide ranging” questions that covered SpaceX and the presidential election. But while he believed it to be a “good conversation,” Lemon acknowledges that Musk felt differently.

Despite the canceled content deal between Lemon and Musk, the first episode of the show is still scheduled to air on March 18 on YouTube, podcast channels and X.