Today, the ongoing tussle between Elon Musk and Don Lemon over their failed programming agreement took another turn. Each party made pointed comments at the other, keeping the dispute alive.
Don Lemon initiated the exchange with a sarcastic comment on X, the social media platform. He quipped, “Every time @elonmusk tweets, a subscriber gets his wings. Tune in Monday.” Despite the end of their deal, Lemon plans to remain active on X, earning through clicks and sponsorships instead of a fixed salary and benefits.
Elon Musk responded to Lemon’s jab with a witty comeback. He called Lemon “Don ‘Veruca Salt'” and paired it with a lemon emoji. This nickname compares Lemon to the entitled and ungrateful character Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka, highlighting a perceived lack of appreciation and demanding nature.
This exchange follows reports that Lemon had a long list of demands for his short-lived show on X. His alleged requests included a free Tesla Cybertruck, a $5 million signing bonus plus an $8 million salary, a stake in the company, and control over any policy changes related to news content on the platform.
Jay Sures, vice chairman at UTA, addressed these claims in a statement to the New York Post. He dismissed them as “absolute, complete utter nonsense without an iota of truth to it,” denying the reported demands.