The highly anticipated interview between former television anchor Don Lemon and billionaire Elon Musk took a raw and occasionally tense turn, as the two delved into a wide range of topics including politics, drug use, hate speech on social media, and more.
The interview, intended to be the debut episode of a new talk show in partnership between Lemon and X, was filmed at Tesla’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. However, Musk called off the deal a day after the interview was filmed, leading to the episode being streamed on YouTube and posted on Lemon’s X account.
During the interview, Musk revealed details about his recent meeting with former President Donald J. Trump, his stance on endorsing political candidates, and his use of prescription ketamine for a “negative chemical state.” He also addressed questions about hate speech on the X platform, which he now owns.
The release of the interview came after a promotional push from Lemon, who had teased the conversation on various platforms. Prior to its release, both Lemon and Musk had differing opinions on how the interview went, with Lemon describing it as respectful and covering many subjects, while Musk criticized the lack of originality in Lemon’s show.
Musk’s decision to cancel the partnership with Lemon blindsided salespeople at X and was the latest in a series of business disruptions at the platform. Musk’s inflammatory comments in the past have led to advertisers pausing their campaigns on X, further complicating the platform’s operations.
Overall, the interview provided insight into Musk’s views on various topics and shed light on the complexities of his relationship with the media and the business world.
