In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves through the media world, tech titan and social media icon Elon Musk has officially pulled his highly anticipated $1 billion show from CBS. This decision came in the aftermath of what Musk described as an “extremely biased” vice-presidential debate hosted by the network. In a scathing critique, Musk slammed CBS, calling it “the most unwatchable, agenda-driven network out there” and firmly declaring, “CBS is toast.”
Known for his outspoken nature, particularly on Twitter, Musk wasted no time after the debate to announce his decision to sever ties with CBS. The vice-presidential debate, featuring Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Walz, had already been under fire for its contentious moderation. However, Musk’s reaction amplified the controversy, vowing that CBS would “never see a cent of his money again.”
Musk’s mysterious show, which was rumored to be one of the most expensive television projects ever conceived, had generated much speculation. Some believed it to be a sci-fi docuseries where Musk would teach aliens how to code, while others thought it could be a reality show about life on Mars, hosted from SpaceX’s private shuttle. But with Musk’s abrupt decision, audiences will never know for sure, as he proclaimed, “CBS doesn’t deserve to broadcast anything remotely interesting.”
True to form, 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,” he tweeted. Within minutes, the hashtag #CBSToast began trending, with Musk’s fans and CBS critics alike joining in. Social media exploded with memes, including one viral post that read, “If Elon says CBS is toast, I guess I’ll need to switch to waffles.”
The debate in question had already sparked controversy. Critics accused CBS of turning the debate into a “fact-check frenzy,” with Republican candidate J.D. Vance being interrupted repeatedly. Vance’s team claimed that the moderators were biased against him from the start, while Democratic candidate Tim Walz seemed to face less scrutiny. Musk, reportedly watching the debate in disbelief, texted several high-profile friends, calling it “the death of unbiased journalism.”
“Watching CBS tonight was like watching a sinking ship,” Musk later said in a live stream. “They spent more time fact-checking J.D. than letting him speak. How can anyone get their policies across with constant interruptions?”
The breaking point for Musk appeared to be when the moderators interrupted Vance mid-sentence to fact-check his remarks on Trump-era tax cuts. Furious, Musk reportedly muttered, “That’s it, CBS is done.”
In response, CBS executives scrambled to address Musk’s accusations, dismissing them as “unfounded” and asserting that their moderators were simply ensuring factual accuracy. “We stand by our commitment to honest journalism,” CBS said in a statement.
Musk, however, wasn’t buying it. In a follow-up tweet, he mocked CBS, writing, “CBS just called me ‘exaggerated.’ That’s rich coming from the network that thought adding a laugh track to their news show was a good idea.” This was a dig at CBS’s recent failed attempt to add humor to its prime-time news segment.
Adding to CBS’s woes, Musk’s boycott quickly led to a cascade of advertisers pulling out, including Ford, Pepsi, and Geico, who distanced themselves from the network. “It’s a tough decision,” said one marketing executive, “but Musk has more Twitter followers than CBS has viewers on a good night. We have to go where the audience is.”
The fallout didn’t stop there. CBS affiliates expressed concern over the long-term impact of losing such a high-profile project. “If Musk is out, who’s next?” one executive reportedly asked.
As for Musk’s $1 billion show, it won’t be scrapped. Sources close to him have revealed that the show will be moved to a different network or platform, with Netflix and even Musk’s own platform, Twitter, being potential options. “I could air it on Mars, and more people would watch than on CBS,” Musk joked in a recent interview.
While CBS scrambles to recover from the debacle, Musk seems to be reveling in the chaos. He recently tweeted, “First CBS, then the moon. Just kidding. Or am I?” Whether CBS can bounce back from losing one of the world’s wealthiest men remains to be seen, but the network’s reputation has certainly taken a hit.
