Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo “isn’t surprised” by the grandiose wish list his old colleague and ex-pal Don Lemon sent to Elon Musk – before the X boss told him to take a hike last week, The Post has learned.
Cuomo, who moved on to NewsNation after being fired by CNN, couldn’t help but admire the “chutzpah” it took to demand a free Cybertruck and a seat on a SpaceX rocket to broadcast the first-ever extraterrestrial podcast, a source with knowledge told The Post on Thursday.
“Don thinks he’s Angelina Jolie,” the source said. “He thinks he’s a star.”
That was in addition to a $5 million upfront payment on top of his $8 million salary, an equity stake in the company, and editorial control over the social media site in exchange for doing a show on X, as The Post exclusively reported last week.
“Chris isn’t surprised by Don’s laundry list of demands. He knows who Don is,” the source close to both men told The Post.
“He admires his chutzpah. If you’re dealing with the richest man in the world, you’ve got to ask for the moon and the stars.”
The Post reached out to Cuomo and Lemon for comment.
The brash Lemon has been basking in the media spotlight since being fired last week after taping an interview with Musk on March 8, which was supposed to serve as this week’s debut episode of “The Don Lemon Show.”
The source said Cuomo was “shocked” that Lemon first complained about the firing on CNN, which had canned the gaffe-prone morning show host last April.
“After Chris was fired, he was devastated. He was a mess,” the source said.
“Don reappearing on CNN to be interviewed by Erin Burnett last week took balls,” the source said.
Since then, Lemon has appeared on “The View” and had a walk-on segment on Thursday’s episode of the “Tamron Hall” show.
He posted his second episode of “The Don Lemon Show” on Wednesday.
Lemon all but admitted making the demands in an interview with Mediaite editor-in-chief Aidan McLaughlin, before brushing off the kerfuffle over his diva-like list as “nonsense.”
“People negotiate all the time,” Lemon said. “But that’s, come on. It’s obviously a deflection.”
Media critics are rolling their eyes at Lemon’s extended press tour to talk about being fired, while simultaneously trying to get publicity for his show, which he uploads to YouTube, X, and streams on other platforms.
“He loves the attention. He’s not going to give this up,” a media source close to Lemon said. “Don thinks this is a promotion. He thinks he is creating a prototype. He’s on streaming. He doesn’t have to worry about a corporate boss.”
“He’s just putting shows on YouTube and X and expecting to earn millions of dollars. Good luck,” the source said.
The person noted that Lemon’s strategy to launch a media company that produces a show and podcast for the internet is not new.
“Katie Couric did the same thing,” the source said, referring to the former “Today” show host’s namesake media company, which produces podcasts and a show for the web, among other things.
“At the time, her publicist said she’s forging a new path,” the source said, noting that Couric has faded in relevance, despite her efforts.
“It’s over for her and it’s over for him,” the source said. “It’s over.”
The friendship between Cuomo and Lemon also continues to be over.
The pair had a well-documented bro-mance when they hosted primetime shows on CNN, with Lemon even showing up outside Cuomo’s house when he came down with COVID.
But the two haven’t spoken since Cuomo was fired over his involvement in aiding the defense of his embattled older brother, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021.
“They’re not friends,” the first source said, noting that Cuomo was “hurt” that Lemon came out against him at the time and never checked in on him since.
Lemon told Mediaite in the podcast interview: “It’s not that we’re not friends. I just haven’t spoken to him. We needed a little break, but I love Chris. I love Chris, I love his family, very close to his family, but we have not spoken, no.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
