Don Lemon, former CNN anchor, has initiated legal action against Elon Musk's X platform, formerly known as Twitter. The lawsuit, filed on August 1, 2024, in San Francisco's California Superior Court, alleges unfair termination of their partnership and failure to compensate Lemon as agreed.
The dispute stems from a collaboration announced in January 2024, when X signed Lemon along with former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard and sports radio host Jim Rome. This move was part of X's strategy to enhance its video content and attract advertisers back to the platform.
However, the partnership was short-lived. X canceled its agreement with Lemon in March 2023, following Lemon's announcement that Musk would be his first interview guest. Musk later commented on the platform, "His approach was basically just 'CNN, but on social media', which doesn't work," while adding that Lemon was welcome to build viewership on X.
The lawsuit claims that X had agreed to pay Lemon a minimum of $1.5 million, with additional incentives and a share of advertising revenue. Lemon's attorney, Carney Shegerian, stated, "This case is straightforward. X executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don's name through the mud."
This legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of X's ongoing struggles to retain advertisers since Musk's $44 billion acquisition in October 2022. The platform has faced numerous controversies related to content moderation and free speech issues, impacting its relationship with advertisers.
Lemon's lawsuit adds to the challenges faced by X, which has approximately 396.5 million active users worldwide as of 2024. The platform has implemented various features like Spaces (audio chat rooms) and Communities since Musk's takeover, in efforts to innovate and retain user engagement.
It's worth noting that Lemon's departure from X came shortly before his exit from CNN in April 2023, where he had been a prominent figure for 17 years. Lemon, born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has won multiple Emmy Awards for his journalism and has been an openly gay news anchor since 2011.
As this legal situation unfolds, it highlights the ongoing challenges in the evolving landscape of social media, content creation, and the delicate balance between platform owners and content creators.
"His approach was basically just 'CNN, but on social media', which doesn't work."
The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for future partnerships between media personalities and social media platforms, potentially influencing how such collaborations are structured and executed in the digital age.