If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

X-formerly-Twitter owner and self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist" Elon Musk abruptly canceled journalist Don Lemon's upcoming X show on Wednesday, an incident that put Musk's glaring double standard when it comes to his town square "for all" on full display.

Despite Musk telling Lemon he had his "full support," he apparently canceled the show "hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday," Lemon wrote in a statement.

Now, as Semafor reports, more details are coming to light, further complicating the story. According to two insider sources, Lemon let a contract languish for "weeks" without signing it. But Lemon's associates shot back, arguing that it was X's legal department that "took weeks to get a contract to the host’s team."

Perhaps most glaringly of all, X CEO Linda Yaccarino was apparently already selling ads for the show at CES in January, despite never having signed a deal.

Musk has yet to give a coherent reason as to why he mysteriously canceled Lemon's show.

In a vague tweet, Musk accused Lemon of trying to recreate "'CNN, but on social media,' which doesn't work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying."

"And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity," he added, referring to the former president of CNN, without clarifying further.

It's a bizarre change of heart that highlights Musk's often self-serving nature and morally dubious business practices.

Was Musk left with a bad taste in his mouth after his interview with Lemon? Is X financially unable to hold up its end of the bargain?

Lemon maintains that "there were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to," and that his questions "were respectful and wide ranging, covering everything from SpaceX to the presidential election."

In a follow-up video posted to X however, Lemon conceded that the conversation was "tense at times."

According to Silicon Valley chronicler Kara Swisher, the interview also touched on Musk's alleged drug use. The conversation "was not to the adult toddler’s liking, including questions about his ketamine use," she tweeted.

"I had told Don that this is exactly what would occur, including at a recent book tour event in NYC for my memoir, 'Burn Book,' he moderated," she added in a follow-up, "despite promises by Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino — who extravagantly touted this deal at CES to advertisers — that this time was different."

"Why is he so upset?" Lemon said in his video. "Does he even have a reason he's upset?"

Without a written agreement, chances are the former CNN anchor is out of luck. It's also unclear if Yaccarino will ever face any consequences for pushing ads against a show that never existed.

The latest news, however, is unlikely the last time we'll hear about the Lemon deal that had gone sour. The former anchor's spokesperson Allison Gollust told Semafor that Lemon "expects to be paid for it."

"If we have to go to court, we will," she added.

More on the deal: Elon Musk Doesn't Like Don Lemon's Interview Questions, Abruptly Cancels His Twitter Show


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