Elon Musk could simplest be the 2nd wealthiest individual on the planet. However as the sole proprietor of X, there is a compelling argument that he’s the single most powerful person in media, by a large margin.

He has a big platform himself, with 177 million followers and the power to control the terms of engagement on X, stripping shops he doesn’t like of their verification and the usage of the platform to shut down criticism of his personal posts.

So, nobody must be surprised by means of the bare sycophancy and excessive credulity shown by way of his greatest supporters this week when Don Lemon printed Musk canceled their agreement for a express on X quickly after the pair filmed an intensive interview together.

Lemon broke the news Wednesday that Musk had nixed his deal to submit his new interview convey on X, where some other exiled cable news famous person, Tucker Carlson, has made a new digital residence. The abrupt news came simply after Lemon filmed an interview with Musk, which he described as vaguely difficult however eminently fair. Clips aired on CNN of the conversation divulge a somewhat uncomfortable Musk fielding completely anticipated questions from Lemon.

The interview did not go over well with Musk, who texted Lemon’s agent, Jay Sures, the day after the interview wrapped, saying: “Contract terminated.” Musk did Lemon a tremendous favor, in fact; the interview, so we can air on Monday, has the perfect merchandising one can ever dream of.

Musk’s facet of the story, meanwhile, is enormously doubtful. The free speech absolutist claimed on X that he canceled the interview as a result of, well, let’s let his phrases speak for themselves:

His manner was basically just “CNN, but on social media”, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by using the truth that CNN is dying.

And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was once in reality simply Jeff Zucker speaking thru Don, so lacked authenticity.

All this said, Lemon/Zucker are in fact welcome to construct their viewership on this platform together with everyone else.

Let’s get this straight: Musk canceled the Lemon deal since the former CNN veteran performed the interview like a CNN veteran would? Did Elon Musk predict Lemon to become Tucker Carlson after signing his handle X?

The New York Publish gobbled up that absurd explanation for why the deal used to be canceled. “A source with knowledge” of the interview told the Publish that “Lemon gave the impression lost with out former CNN boss Zucker’s guidance.” The rest of the piece cites sources who parrot Musk’s claims about why he canceled the deal.

On Fox News, host Emily Compagno reacted giddily to Musk’s absurd explanation, exclaiming, “Drop the mic!” after reading his submit on air. Cheryl Casone struck a identical word on Outnumbered, pronouncing, “Elon Musk is worth $200 billion, and that’s the interview you do with him!? The man is a genius! I watched the entire Don Lemon interview and that was a missed opportunity. And he just gave you a deal and you attack him for your platform? Don Lemon, now not the neatest transfer.”

And, of course, there was additionally a predictable raft of braindead comments on X from people extra desirous about confirming their hatred of Lemon and taking Musk’s facet earlier than any details emerged.

The interview doesn’t air until Monday, but looking at what has been shared up to now, it seems like Lemon followed the grand tradition of speaking truth to energy.

Musk is just not a baby, regardless of what you will have viewed on his X feed. He’s an especially powerful billionaire with significant affect over industries and governments and the get entry to to free speech for hundreds of thousands. He absolutely must face difficult questions. There is no proof that Lemon’s interview used to be anything but standard for a real journalist interviewing any person of Musk’s caliber.

Given Musk’s wealth, power, and affect, he without a doubt should have anticipated and been ready for a tricky interrogation. withIn the answers we’ve considered, he comes across as in poor health-prepared, stunned that he’s being asked difficult questions, and somewhat angry that Lemon dared to prioritize journalistic integrity over a paycheck. I will’t diagnose Musk, however his response to the interview seems to be a nasty case of spending too much time having your beliefs proven by means of obsequious followers on a platform outlined by means of algorithmic groupthink.

As George Orwell is regularly credited with announcing, “Journalism is printing what someone else does not need printed: everything else is public family members.” Which is why the criticism heaped in opposition to Lemon for this ordeal is so remarkably embarrassing for those doing the heaping.

Take, as an example, Megyn Kelly’s response. She argued: “Don Lemon behaved like an asshole who used to be no longer grateful to Elon Musk for resurrecting his occupation.”

You read that right; Kelly is criticizing Lemon for now not expressing sufficient gratitude to Musk in his interview. Kelly’s college of journalism would apparently educate journalists to give a cross to the powerful if they are paying them off. Huh.

She went on to indicate the tough nature of interviewing one’s boss:

It’s very laborious for Don Lemon in his place to each be a just right journalist and be a good employee. You recognize, the man’s paying your salary, so that you do owe him a level of recognize and discretion, and on the same time you wish to have to show to us in your first interview back how laborious hitting you’re, and those two targets are not aligned. So I don’t blame Elon for being mad on the means he used to be treated, which now Don is admitting it didn’t finish well and Elon used to be pissed off when it ended.

But then Kelly argued that Lemon should specific gratitude: “The man that simply resurrected your career! Show some gratitude! Ask him about how amazing X is doing and the way it’s thriving, regardless of the entire doomsday predictions and whatever took place to loser Threads over on Fb. Elon’s having a second, however now not in Don’s lifestyles and his world, even though he just bought this great probability.”

She concludes by using yelling at Lemon, “You’re now not the victim! You’re now not the sufferer! You’re not a sufferer in anyway.” Lemon has not referred to as himself a sufferer on this ordeal, and truthfully, comes across more like a guy delighted he is getting rewarded for not lying down in a high-stakes interview.

Fortune favors the bold.

The publish Elon Musk’s Toadies Gobble Up Pathetic Clarification For Why He Nixed Don Lemon’s Deal first seemed on Mediaite.