In the news
■ Elon Musk abruptly canceled a deal to promote Don Lemon’s new show on his X social platform last week, after the former CNN host dared to grill the billionaire on his political views, drug use, and stance on hate speech. During an interview for the first episode of The Don Lemon Show, Musk became annoyed when Lemon asked about the tech mogul’s ketamine prescription and his apparent endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X. “I don’t have to answer questions from reporters,” Musk said.
X pulled support for the show just hours after filming stopped, a decision Lemon blamed on Musk being “mad at me.” Anonymous sources then told the New York Post that Lemon had sent an “astronomical wish list” to Musk during contract negotiations, asking for an $8 million salary, a $5 million upfront payment, and a Tesla Cybertruck. Lemon’s agent called the claims “absolute, complete utter nonsense.”
■ Rap fans were left baffled and furious after Kanye West took to the stage at the Rolling Loud California festival last week—but failed to even pick up a microphone during his headline set. Instead, West bounced around in a hockey mask for an hour, as pre-recorded music from his new album Vultures 1 played over the speakers. It “was a scam,” one fan wrote on X, “worst concert I’ve been to probably.” It’s not known how much West was paid by the festival’s organizers, who had been criticized for awarding the rapper a headline slot despite his antisemitic rants. West has previously said he will not perform live for less than $8 million. ■ Meghan Markle has ambitious plans to become “the new Martha Stewart,” reports the Daily Mail (U.K.). The Duchess of Sussex last week debuted a new luxury lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, which sources say will be closely tied to an in-the-works Netflix cookery show—part of a $100 million fiveyear contract that Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, signed with the streaming giant in 2020. “Meghan will be making, and selling, products such as jams,” said a source. A Hollywood source said Markle had high plans for her lifestyle push, saying she’s aiming to take on Stewart, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ina Garten “and play them at their own game.”