Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, recently found himself amidst a whirlwind of rumors and speculation over his alleged “diva demands” to join Elon Musk’s social media platform, X. The buzz all started when reports surfaced that Lemon had a laundry list of extravagant requests, including a desire to become the first podcaster in space, courtesy of Musk’s SpaceX.
The story, as spicy as a space chili, suggested that Lemon wanted a $5 million advance on top of an $8 million base salary, equity, veto power over X’s news policies, and creative roster. Now, that’s a list that could even make an astronaut blush! But when confronted with these celestial-sized claims in a podcast interview with Mediaite’s Aidan McLaughlin, Lemon brushed off the allegations as “nonsense,” attributing them to the art of deal-making.
In a twist that’s more tangled than headphone wires in your pocket, Lemon found himself defending his honor, stating he’s a man who doesn’t spill the tea on money matters or contract terms, leaving that to the pros like his agent, Jay Sures of UTA, who slammed the claims as utterly baseless.
The saga took a dramatic turn when Musk and Lemon’s budding partnership disintegrated faster than a meteor in Earth’s atmosphere. Following a testy interview, where Lemon pressed Musk on various sensitive topics, Musk decided Lemon’s show was “dull” and “underwhelming,” labeling it “basically just ‘CNN, but on social media.'” Ouch, talk about a burn that could be felt in zero gravity!
Lemon, seemingly unfazed by the terrestrial turmoil, shared in the interview that he’s heard nada from Musk since their split and hinted that if the terms of their deal aren’t honored, his legal team might just have to step in, although he insists there’s no ongoing negotiation.
Through this interstellar saga, one thing’s clear: Lemon’s summer plans in the Hamptons are likely far less stressful than navigating the legal and media black hole he’s found himself in. And while he maintains a stance of neutrality towards Musk, one can only wonder if his aspirations for space will ever take flight or if they’ll remain grounded in the realm of “what if.”
