Celebrities call for accountability in Combs case as supporters douse themselves in baby oil

Australia Broadcast Center

11 hours ago

The world had been waiting with bated breath to hear the fate of disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
Across three days, a 12-member New York jury spent 13 hours deliberating before returning a verdict.
The jury, which consisted of eight men and four women, found Combs guilty of prostitution-related crimes, but acquitted him of the most serious charges that could have placed him behind bars for life.
Celebrities, singers and rappers have responded to the verdict, calling it a failure to deliver justice and sympathising with Cassie Ventura, while others praised the verdict, calling it a "a great day in hip-hop".
Outside the courtroom, supporters of Combs even went as far as to douse themselves with baby oil in celebration — a reference to evidence presented in court of Combs's excessive use of the product.
Diddy's former protégée Aubrey O'Day, who rose to fame on Combs' Making the Band series in the mid-2000s, said the cultural weight of the decision was "immeasurable" and argued the courtroom failed to deliver justice.
"The pattern of behaviour Sean Combs has shown us over the decades is not a mystery. It is a warning," she wrote. "And now, that pattern risks being reframed — and has now been legitimised by the system," she said.
"Women, nor men, nor any artists are the property of those with the most wealth, fame and power." Talk show host and comedian Rosie O'Donnell called the decision "a f***ing joke" and said the decision "got her angry".
"I guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion … they just think women stay because what? Money — fame — 'they love the abuse' — what a f***ing joke," she wrote on Instagram.
Grammy-nominated singer Kesha, who in 2023 settled a long-standing legal battle with producer Dr Luke over rape and defamation claims, voiced her support for the prosecution's star witness.
"Your strength is a beacon for every survivor," she wrote towards Combs's former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie.
Ms Ventura's lawyer Doug Wigdor told CNN the verdict "wasn't exactly" the outcome they wanted.
"But we are grateful to the jury for finding a verdict on those two federal crimes," he said, adding that Ms Ventura held the same view.
He said that Cassie could have accepted the settlement or filed a lawsuit to shine a light on Combs's behaviour.
"She showed great courage, great bravery to choose the latter of those two options," he said.
Outside the courtroom, supporters of the rap mogul were seen dousing each other in baby oil in a crazed celebration in the wake of his acquittal charge.
Footage posted on social media shows a crowd gathering around a woman who had baby oil poured on her before dancing around, according to an X post by NBC reporter Matt Lavietes.
"I want the baby oil," she repeatedly chanted as the crowd filming her, clapped and cheered.
Another man also joined in, pouring baby oil on himself, while other people held up signs that read "Free Puff" and "Free Diddy".
A family friend of Combs held up a T-shirt outside the courtroom that had "a freako is not a r.i.c.o" written on it.
Baby oil played a major role in the case — police found 1,000 bottles when Combs's homes were raided in March 2024.
Rapper 50 cent, who has had a long-time feud with Combs, put up a cryptic Instagram post with an AI-generated image of himself.
"Diddy beat the R.i.c.o, (racketeer influenced and corrupt organisations act) that boy a bad man! He like the Gay John Gotti," 50 Cent said, referencing a late New York mafia figure.
Diddy's son Christian 'King' Combs thanked supporters and told US broadcaster ABC he was "happy and thankful".
"I'm so happy my pops coming home, God bless and God bless the whole world," he said.
The 27-year-old was accused of sexual assault in May in a lawsuit that named both him and his famous father for aiding and abetting.