The Public’s Trial of P. Diddy

With disgraced rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs seemingly destined for prison, you’d be forgiven in thinking that justice is soon to be served. Decades of allegations and industry chatter served only to bolster Diddy’s notoriety. To many insiders and onlookers alike, he was renown for his shady business tactics, while his exploits as a mob boss and sexual deviant lied as an unspoken truth. Allegations to the latter recently gained legal footing on November 16, 2023 when Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, Diddy’s former Bad Boy artist and ex-girlfriend of several years, filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Combs, alleging and detailing years of physical assault and forced sexual labor. They reached an “amicable” settlement in court within 24 hours.

However, despite simultaneous raids of his Los Angeles and Miami homes, and video evidence of the previously denied assault on Cassie, the prevailing topic on social media focused on reports of a purported 1,000 bottles of baby oil, along with other social media fodder portraying Diddy as a Riddler-esque supervillain. With the baby oil jokes themselves being an extension of the “No Diddy” craze that came about after the Cassie lawsuit. TikTok comedian and D-List celebrity alike have basked in the content goldmine of what are essentially allegations of serious sexual crimes. And amid a rising tally of accusations, social media’s facetious nature has pushed the victims to the side in favor of likes and retweets.

Embed from Getty Images

Empathy

While popular thought remains that social media mainstays like Instagram, X and Facebook are “just for laughs” they tend to shape our collective consciousness more than we’re wiling to give them credit for. Thus, by minimizing sexual assault in this way, we are empowering a culture of rape. We are cultivating an environment where speaking out for yourself is discouraged as the masses will trivialize your pain. Especially when there are a stark lack of consequences for those of status. And by the time “justice” finally arrives, the lives and livelihoods of many have already seen damage beyond repair. Comedy is a powerful weapon, and in the right hands can be a unifying tool for advancement. However, let’s stop to think who we are aiming it at, and why?

Comedy

It isn’t hard to see how abuse thrives in this environment, nor to pinpoint how we got here. What’s much harder to peg down is what to do moving forward. Whatever your answer, simple acts of empathy can go a long way. It isn’t a stretch to assume powerful people can pay to suppress information and stifle careers. Monetary incentive and the leverage of celebrity are powerful tools. However, that famous figures can face such public scrutiny with nothing to show for it is continually disappointing.

Embed from Getty Images

A point comedian Hannibal Buress brings home in his now-infamous stand up routine that sparked renewed interest in Cosby’s allegations. Allegations that ultimately resulted in the overturning of his 2018 conviction. Although a further civil case would award $500,000 in damages to the victim, the case was unfortunately several decades old at this point. And as Cosby’s representative Andre Wyatt so aptly remarks: “That amount will not cover the bills…”

Although it is the second episode to air, “The Trial of Robert Kelly” comes first in the production schedule of Aaron McGruder’s classic series, The Boondocks. Never one to shy away from controversy, the infamous episode sets the tone for the series’ trademark satire. Written three years prior to Kelly’s actual trial, in hindsight it begs us to ask very hard questions about this very public mistrial of justice and our role in it. The episode openly criticizes the cognitive dissonance on display from the public and the media. R. Kelly’s conviction came sixteen years after this episode’s original air date, only after the widely publicized Surviving R. Kelly documentary put his allegations back under the microscope. Sadly, it feels as though the Diddy’s action will never be treated with proper context until his own harrowing documentary releases.

Embed from Getty Images

Tragedy

Much of what we knew then, parallels what we now know about Diddy. Namely, the use of his wealth to influence his team of personal assistants into cornering an escaping Cassie. Employing harassment and intimidation tactics to limit the choices available to her. Similarly, several starstruck adults actively turned a blind eye to Kelly’s behavior. In cases such as Kelly’s illegal marriage to an underaged Aaliyah, even actively participating in the subjugation of a victim who knows no better. At what point does proximity to wealth override basic compassion? At any given point in either scenario, had one person decided to show a shred of dignity, or an ounce of compassion, perhaps justice could truly prevail. But for now all we’re left with is “freaks-off” jokes and the hope that the victims find peace.

Comments are closed.