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), wasted no time after the debate to announce his decision.
The debate between Republican candidate J.D. 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.”
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 J.D. 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 J.D. than letting him talk. How is anyone supposed to hear actual 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 denouncement, 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.”
But Musk wasn’t having it. In a follow-up tweet, he 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 placed 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.”
“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 quipped 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.
