Don Lemon has claimed he cannot say why Elon Musk canceled his new show on X – in an interview with old employer CNN for the first time since being fired.
Sitting down with OutFront’s Erin Burnett Wednesday, Lemon, 58, fielded questions about the show’s abrupt nixing – after just one unaired episode.
The anchor’s old network even produced never-before-seen clips from the called off program, where where a visibly irritated Musk, 52, batted back questions about free speech and white nationalist conspiracy theories prevalent on the platform.
The short-lived series, called ‘The Don Lemon Show’, was scrapped shortly thereafter, leaving Lemon without a platform again.
He went on to outline the encounter in a scathing statement Tuesday, before providing more detail to old pal Burnett. It served as the first time he appeared on CNN since his firing, during which brass reportedly paid him more than $24million.
Don Lemon – seen here in an interview with old employer CNN Tuesday – has claimed he cannot say why Elon Musk canceled his new show on X, as he returned to the network for the first time since being fired over remarks deliver on-air
The anchor’s old network even produced never-before-seen clips of the inaugural installment of ‘The Don Lemon Show’
The encounter, aired Wednesday at 7pm ET, began with Burnett asking outright about the show being called off.
‘That’s a good question for Elon Musk, quite frankly,’ Lemon said Tuesday evening.
‘What happened? I don’t know.’
He went on: ‘As I said in my statement, I felt really good about the interview.
‘I said to him as we were doing the interview – and it was tense at moments – I said to him, “I think it’s good that people see folks like you and I who have different worldviews come together and talk.”
‘As he says, have free speech,’ Lemon added.
‘Free speech is only important when someone you don’t like, or I would say someone who doesn’t have your same point of view… if they’re allowed to speak freely and to say their point of view.
‘Apparently that doesn’t matter to Elon Musk
It’s just for a talking points for him – or rhetoric – because it doesn’t seem to matter when it’s about him. Questions about him. from people like me.’
Lemon revealed earlier in the day that his new X show has been canned by Elon Musk after the billionaire became ‘so upset’ by their unreleased interview
More to follow…