The Rise and Fall of Don Lemon’s Collaboration with X

The Unraveling of a Promising Collaboration

Late last year, Linda Yaccarino, the dynamic chief executive of X, reached out to Don Lemon’s agent with an intriguing proposal. Having transitioned from a successful tenure at NBC about seven months earlier, Ms. Yaccarino, a powerhouse in the advertising world, envisioned the former CNN anchor launching a new web-based show on the platform. She highlighted X’s vast reach, significant political influence, and robust connections with advertisers as key selling points. Following this initial outreach, Mr. Lemon became one of the first high-profile personalities to align with Ms. Yaccarino’s ambitious strategy to rejuvenate the company’s struggling advertising sector through video content reminiscent of traditional TV programming.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, was enthusiastic and agreed to be Mr. Lemon’s inaugural guest on the show. Their conversation took place at Tesla’s sprawling headquarters in Austin, Texas, a location Mr. Musk was quick to boast was “about three times larger than the Pentagon.” The two men were seated in sleek white Eames-like swivel chairs, with a minimalist white table separating them. Mr. Musk donned a casual black T-shirt, while Mr. Lemon opted for a polished look with a white spread-collar shirt layered under a dark blue sweater.

The interview commenced with a somewhat awkward atmosphere, as Mr. Musk admitted that he hadn’t closely followed Mr. Lemon’s work during his time anchoring a 9 p.m. slot on CNN, saying, “I’ve seen a few segments.” However, the tone shifted dramatically over the next hour as the conversation became increasingly contentious. Mr. Musk visibly bristled at inquiries regarding his political views and substance use. When Mr. Lemon pressed him about his prescription for ketamine—something Mr. Musk himself had previously shared on X—Mr. Musk retorted, “It’s pretty private.”

As the dialogue progressed, Mr. Lemon raised serious topics, including allegations of sexual harassment at Tesla and SpaceX, both companies under Mr. Musk’s leadership. He also posed a challenging question about whether Mr. Musk believed he had societal advantages as a white man. Mr. Musk responded with a raised eyebrow, saying, “You keep putting words in my mouth.” When Mr. Lemon inquired about the significant decline in advertisers on X, Mr. Musk shook his head and cautioned, “Don, I have to say, choose your questions carefully. There’s five minutes left.” As the interview came to a close, Mr. Musk abruptly stood up, offering a terse handshake to Mr. Lemon.

The following day, Mr. Musk sent a text to Mr. Lemon’s agent declaring, “Contract canceled.” In the aftermath of this decision, Ms. Yaccarino reached out to Mr. Lemon to discern what had transpired. She seemed optimistic that she could mediate and repair the rift between Mr. Lemon and her boss. However, Mr. Musk remained resolute; he insisted that Mr. Lemon must be let go. Consequently, the deal fell apart—marking yet another setback in Ms. Yaccarino’s ongoing quest to steer X toward a more profitable future amid its ongoing challenges.