Don Lemon Wanted $5 Million Bonus For X Show

Former CNN host Don Lemon made an enormous list of demands of Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk to sign on to host a news show on X, formerly Twitter — including $5 million, a free Cybertruck, and an all-expenses-paid vacation to Las Vegas with his fiance — the New York Post reported Friday.

According to the Post report, Lemon “demanded the sun, the moon and the stars from the SpaceX boss” to host a new show on Musk’s X social media platform. The fired CNN host sent an astronomical list of demands while in contract talks for the show.

In addition to an $8 million salary, Lemon reportedly wanted a $5 million sign-on bonus, company stock options and the right to weigh in on changes in X policies related to news content and give or withhold his approval. He also asked for a private jet flight to Las Vegas, a hotel room for him and his fiance and for X to pay for their day drinking and massages.

Then Lemon sat down with Musk on Friday, March 8, for his first interview for the new show. Musk agreed to do the interview with Lemon even though he was aware of the CNN host’s stout wish list, and X had not yet signed any formal agreement for “The Don Lemon Show.” But the X owner canceled the show after the way Lemon treated him during the interview.

Instead of a friendly sit down, Lemon pressed Musk in a series of tense exchanges for an hour-and-a-half on the businessman’s political leanings, his alleged past drug use and X’s content moderation policy.

“His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media,’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Musk said after the interview in a post on X.

A spokesperson for Lemon denied the report of his demands, telling The Post: “There is nothing in your list of demands that you claim Don made of X that is true. Literally nothing.”

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