Don Lemon demanded the sun, the moon and the celebs from the SpaceX boss – before being unceremoniously dumped this week, The Post has learned.
The ex-CNN anchor sent over an astronomical wish list to Elon Musk during contract talks to host a show on the billionaire’s social media platform X – including a free Tesla Cybertruck, a $5 million upfront payment on top of an $8 million salary, an equity stake within the multibillion-dollar company, and the appropriate to approve any changes in X policy because it pertains to news content, in keeping with a document reviewed by The Post.
Lemon — who was expected to air an interview with Musk for next week’s debut episode on X — had also demanded a personal jet flight to Las Vegas, a set for him and his fiance, and that the corporate pay for his or her day drinking and massages, a source with knowledge of the situation said.
Musk agreed to do the interview with Lemon despite the undeniable fact that he was aware of a few of Lemon’s outlandish demands, sources told The Post.
Lemon interviewed Musk last week for the primary episode of “The Don Lemon Show.” instagram/donlemonofficial
The proposal reviewed by The Post was sent from Lemon’s agents at United Talent Agency to X’s leadership in December.
The partnership was announced in January, but an X spokesperson told The Post that the corporate “didn’t have a final or signed agreement with Don Lemon or ‘The Don Lemon Show’” before Musk sat down for the explosive interview last week.
X declined to comment on the main points of the document.
Lemon’s agents at United Talent Agency communicated their client’s demand for a Tesla Cybertruck to X leadership in December. Costfoto/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Jay Sures, vice chairman at UTA, told The Post: “That is absolute, complete utter nonsense without an iota of truth to it.”
Lemon was fired hours after the one-on-one sit-down, with Musk calling the anchor “dull” and “underwhelming.”
The one-and-half hour grilling included testy exchanges about Musk’s political leanings, his past drug use and the positioning’s content moderation policy. It’s scheduled to run on YouTube next week.
Lemon claimed on Wednesday that he was jettisoned by X because Musk reneged on his “free speech” pledge.
Lemon grilled Musk on his political leanings in addition to the spread of hate speech on X. CNN
Lemon’s discussions with the corporate began shortly after he was fired by CNN last April after a series of high-profile incidents, in keeping with sources with knowledge of the situation.
In an interview with veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher on Friday, Lemon claimed they held discussions over the summer through which the corporate threatened to fireplace him if he didn’t attend the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.
CES, which was held earlier this yr between Jan. 7 and 10, is one of the vital highly anticipated events on the tech calendar as corporations including X flock to the show with a view to schmooze advertisers.
A spokesperson for X called Lemon’s claim “a disingenuous lie.”
Lemon billed X for his and his fiance’s day drinking and massages on the Vdara in Las Vegas, in keeping with sources.
Lemon desired to be flown to the convention along with his longtime fiance on a personal jet and be put up in a personal suite, in addition to for X to foot the bill for alcoholic beverages and massages that he and his fiance ordered during their stay on the Vdara, the MGM-run resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in keeping with people conversant in the matter.
The negotiations progressed after Musk brought former NBCUniversal promoting executive Linda Yaccarino on board as chief executive officer of X, sources said.
During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday, Lemon claimed that he was canned by X because he asked Musk tough questions. CNN
However the talks stalled over Lemon’s extensive demands, which included executive assistants in addition to a marketing budget that ranged from $10 million to $15 million, individuals with knowledge of the situation told The Post.
A spokesperson for Lemon told The Post: “There may be nothing in your list of demands that you just claim Don manufactured from X that’s true. Literally nothing.”
