In a shocking move that has rattled the media world, tech mogul and Twitter
extraordinaire Elon Musk has officially pulled his $1 billion show from CBS.
Following what Musk called an “extremely biased” vice-presidential debate hosted
by the network, the billionaire decided it was time to cut ties
calling CBS “the most unwatchable, agenda-driven network out there.” Musk didn’t
mince words as he declared, “CBS is toast.”

Musk, who has never been shy about voicing his opinions (especially on Twitter,
where he seems to live rent-free), spent no time after the debate to announce his
decision. The debate between Republican candidate JD Vance and Democrat Tim
Walz, hosted by CBS, was already under scrutiny for its controversial moderation.
Still, Musk’s reaction took things to a whole new level, with the world’s wealthiest
man promising that CBS would “never see a cent of his money again.”after the
debate to announce his decision. The debate between Republican candidate JD
Vance and Democrat Tim Walz, hosted by CBS, was already under scrutiny for its
controversial moderation. Still, Musk’s reaction took things to a whole new level,
with the world’s wealthiest man promising that CBS would “never see a cent of his
money again.”

For those not keeping track, Musk’s show on CBS, a highly anticipated, albeit
mysterious, venture, was rumored to be one of the most expensive television
projects in the making. Some claimed it would be a sci-fi docuseries where Musk
personally teaches aliens how to code. Others speculated it would be a reality show
about life on Mars, hosted from SpaceX’s private shuttle. But alas, none of us will
know now, because, as Musk put it, “CBS doesn’t deserve to broadcast anything
remotely interesting.”

In true Elon fashion, Musk took to Twitter to make the announcement.
“After watching that CBS debate, it’s clear they’ve forgotten what journalism is.
Extreme bias is putting it lightly. No wonder they’re losing advertisers faster than a
Tesla in Ludicrous mode.”After watching that CBS debate, it’s clear they’ve forgotten
what journalism is. Extreme bias is putting it lightly. No wonder they’re losing
advertisers faster than a Tesla in Ludicrous mode.”

Within minutes of his post, the hashtag #CBSToast was trending, with fans of Musk
(and critics of CBS) piling on. Memes featuring toasted bread and melted butter
over the CBS logo flooded social media. One particularly viral tweet read, “If Elon
says CBS is toast, I guess I’ll need to switch to waffles.”

The debate in question was already under fire before Musk stepped in. Moderated
by CBS, it quickly turned into what critics called a “fact-check frenzy” with JD Vance
being interrupted more times than a toddler at a toy store. Vance’s camp accused
the moderators of bias, claiming they had it out for the Republican candidate from
the start. And while Tim Walz got his fair share of fact-checks, it seemed Vance was
in the crosshairs most of the night.before Musk stepped in. Moderated by CBS, it
quickly turned into what critics called a “fact-check frenzy” with JD Vance being
interrupted more times than a toddler at a toy store. Vance’s camp accused the
moderators of bias, claiming they had it out for the Republican candidate from the
start. And while Tim Walz got his fair share of fact-checks, it seemed Vance was in
the crosshairs most of the night.

Enter Elon Musk, who, like many of his Twitter followers, was watching the debate in
horror or so he claimed. Musk reportedly texted several high-profile friends
during the debate, asking if they were witnessing what he called “the death of
unbiased journalism.”

“Watching CBS tonight was like watching a sinking ship,” Musk said during an
impromptu live stream with his loyal fanbase. “They spent more time fact-checking
JD than letting him talk. How is anyone supposed to hear current policies when all
we hear are corrections?”

He added, “And don’t even get me started on the moderators’ smug looks every
time they ‘corrected’ Vance. “It was like watching a high school debate where one
kid’s dad was the judge.”
The straw that broke the camel’s back came when the moderators fact-checked
Vance’s claim about Trump-era tax cuts, cutting him off mid-sentence to clarify
numbers. Musk was reportedly livid, muttering to himself, “That’s it, CBS is done.”
CBS executives, caught off guard by Musk’s public denunciation, scrambled to
respond. In an official statement, the network brushed off Musk’s claims of bias as
“unfounded” and “exaggerated,” stating, “Our moderators were simply doing their
job to ensure factual accuracy. “We value our viewers and stand by our commitment
to honest journalism.”ensure factual accuracy. “We value our viewers and stand by
our commitment to honest journalism.”But Musk wasn’t having it. In a follow-up
tweet, I posted, “CBS just called me ‘exaggerated.” “That’s rich coming from the
network that thought adding a laugh track to their own news show was a good
idea.”
This was a clear reference to CBS’s recent attempt at revamping their prime-time
news segment, a strategy that involved awkwardly placing laugh tracks whenever
politicians made absurd claims. Let’s just say it didn’t go over well with viewers, and
Musk, apparently, never forgot.
As if the loss of Musk’s billion-dollar show wasn’t bad enough, CBS also had to
contend with the aftermath of his boycott. Within 24 hours of his announcement,
several more advertisers publicly distanced themselves from the network. Ford,
Pepsi, and Geico were among the brands that decided they’d rather keep their ads
far away from CBS’s “biassed debates and Musk-sized controversy.”Pepsi, and
Geico were among the brands that decided they’d rather keep their ads far away
from CBS’s “biassed debates and Musk-sized controversy.”
“It’s a tough call,” said a marketing executive from one of the major brands who
wished to remain anonymous. “But let’s be honest: Elon Musk has more Twitter
followers than CBS has viewers on a good night. “You’ve got to go where the
eyeballs are.”
It wasn’t just advertisers either. Some CBS affiliates reportedly contacted the
network, expressing concern over the long-term effects of Musk’s pullout. “If Musk
is out, who’s next?” one affiliate exec asked. “We can’t afford to lose more
high-profile projects because of biased debates.”
So, what’s next for Elon Musk’s $1 billion show? According to sources close to
Musk, the show will not be scrapped but rather moved to a different network or
platform that “appreciates balanced journalism.” Musk is reportedly in talks with
Netflix and even floated the idea of hosting the show on his own platform—yes,
you guessed it-Twitter.
“I could air it on Mars, and more people would tune in than on CBS,” Musk said in a
recent interview. “I’m not worried. “We’ll find a new home.”
As for CBS, the network is still trying to put out the fires Musk’s boycott has started.
Whether they’ll recover remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: losing a $1
billion show and the world’s richest man is not a good look for any network.
In the meantime, Musk seems to be enjoying the chaos. He recently tweeted, “First
CBS, then the moon. Just kidding. Or am I?”
And as always, with Musk, it’s hard to tell.