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Business Recorder
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
Who is Sean ‘Diddy' Combs, the onetime hip-hop king facing a sex trafficking trial?
NEW YORK: Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who elevated hip-hop in American culture while building a music and clothing empire that made him a billionaire, faces a sex trafficking trial starting with opening statements on Monday that could cement the rapper's shattered reputation - or offer him a shot at redemption. The 55-year-old Combs, facing possible life in prison if convicted, is among the most influential and widely recognized men in the entertainment field to face sexual abuse allegations after the #MeToo movement encouraged accusers to speak up. Like movie producer Harvey Weinstein and R&B singer R. Kelly, Combs is accused by prosecutors of using his influence and wealth to coerce women into unwanted sexual activity, and intimidate them into staying quiet for years. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The trial, taking place in Manhattan federal court could last two months. Combs' lawyers did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Since his arrest in September, Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn - far from the mansions in Miami and Los Angeles where he had been living, but about an hour by subway from the Harlem neighborhood where he was born. Advertisement · Scroll to continue His father died four years after his birth, and Combs was raised by a single mother. After two years at Howard University in Washington, Combs dropped out to go into the music business. He worked at New York's Uptown Records before co-founding Bad Boy Records in 1993. Combs was a hustler and a showman. He is credited with turning artists like Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls) and Usher into stars, and broadening hip-hop's appeal in the 1990s and 2000s. Musicians, athletes and actors angled to be in Combs' circle, while Combs flaunted a lavish lifestyle filled with diamonds, yachts and over-the-top parties. In the late 90s, he dated singer Jennifer Lopez, and they became one of entertainment's biggest power couples. 'He made hip-hop seem so vital and lively to American culture that everyone wanted to be a piece of it,' author Mark Anthony Neal said in the Max documentary 'The Fall of Diddy.' Combs won three Grammy awards including for 'I'll Be Missing You,' a 1997 tribute to Biggie after he was killed in a drive-by shooting. He built on his celebrity by launching the multimillion-dollar Sean John clothing brand and Revolt TV cable network. Combs even became a Broadway headliner, starring in 'A Raisin in the Sun' in 2004. Combs has sold his stake in Revolt. A spokesperson for Combs did not respond to a request for comment about the status of Sean John. By 2022, Forbes magazine estimated Combs' wealth had topped $1 billion, and his rags-to-riches story was seen as an inspiration for other Black men. That same year, Combs received a lifetime achievement honor at the BET Awards. 'Anything I do is through love,' Combs said at the ceremony. 'Collateral' recordings Not so, according to prosecutors. They contend that Combs, backed by his business empire, forced women into elaborate sexual performances known as 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers from 2004 to 2024. They say he coordinated 'Freak Offs' by giving drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy to women, while also promising financial support, career support and romantic relationships. Combs watched and, on occasion, recorded the performances, and masturbated, according to prosecutors. They say Combs used surreptitious recordings of the sex acts as 'collateral' to ensure that women stayed silent, and sometimes displayed weapons to further intimidate them, prosecutors said. Marc Agnifilo, a lawyer for Combs, has said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. One of the prosecution's expected witnesses is Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B vocalist known as Cassie. Ventura sued Combs in November 2023, accusing him of rape and serial physical abuse during their decade-long professional and romantic relationship, which he denied. She settled just one day after suing. Settlement details were not disclosed. Later, CNN broadcast hotel surveillance video showing Combs striking and dragging Ventura. Combs then apologized. Dozens of other women and men have filed civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual abuse. He has denied all wrongdoing. Fortune magazine estimated that Combs' net worth fell to about $400 million by 2024.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viola Davis Said She Was Taught To Act Like A "Perfect White Actress" At Juilliard, And This Is How It Affected Her
Viola Davis shed light on her formal acting education at Juilliard and the white standard she was held to during each performance. The EGOT winner recently stopped by the Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso podcast for an insightful conversation about her journey to stardom, her liberating projects, and her formative years attending one of the most revered performing arts schools in the world. In the middle of the discussion, Sam asked, "In Juilliard, what was the purpose of their training? Are they shaping you into a good actress or a perfect white actress?" "Definitely a perfect white actress," Viola said. "What it looks technical training in order to deal with the classics — the Strindbergs, and the O'Neills, and the Chekhovs, and the Shakespeares. I totally understand that, to get your But what it denies is the human being behind all of that." Related: These 19 Celebs Started Acting As Kids, But Are Wayyyy More Popular Now — So I'm Positive You Won't Be Able To Identify Them From A Childhood Photo "I feel that as a Black actress, I'm always being tasked to show that I have range, by doing white work. So, if I can master Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire — I can do the best I can with Tennessee Williams, but he writes for fragile, white women. Beautiful work, but it's not me." The G20 star, who's known for taking on powerful roles like Nanisca in The Woman King, Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, Rose Maxson in Fences, added that she was never taught the works of any classic Black writers, which in turn, meant her white classmates weren't either. The limited source teachings felt like a disservice to her. Related: People Are Sharing The Celebrities They Genuinely Feel Bad For, And It's Heartbreaking "But we don't put those same parameters on white actors," Viola continued. "You can have a white actor who's 54 or 55 years old, which is a great age to play Mama in A Raisin in the Sun — is she going to be able to pull off Mama in A Raisin in the Sun? Is she going to be able to pull off Beneatha? Is she going to be able to pull off Molly in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, when Molly says, 'I ain't going south' and make me believe it? They don't have to do that." "So for those four years at Juilliard, all those white actors have to do is play all white characters. That's not me. Me, I'm tasked to only do the classics, and no Black writer is included in those classics. Then, once I leave Juilliard, guess what? Most of what I'll be asked to do are Black characters, which people will not feel I am Black enough. So then I'm caught in a quagmire, this sort of in between place, of sort of not understanding how to use myself as the canvas." Despite being thankful for everything she learned while being there, Viola eventually realized she wasn't able to bring her true, full self to Juilliard. "Juilliard was an out of body experience because once again I did not think that I could use me. Me needed to be left at the front door, even though me was what got me in there." This is why representation is so essential for everyone in all facets of life. People deserve to see themselves as the standard. Although she didn't see herself in any of the roles she took at school, Viola made sure to change that when she officially hit Hollywood, and she's been breaking barriers ever since. It's always interesting learning about the things that help shape the people we know today, and this conversation truly shed light on Viola's life and illustrious career. To learn more, you can watch a clip of this discussion below or watch her full interview on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso here. View this photo on Instagram What did you think of Viola's comments? Share them with me in the comments! Also in Celebrity: These 21 Celebrity Ex-Marriages Were So Brief And Bizarre, They Practically Evaporated From Hollywood History Also in Celebrity: 28 Celebs Who Never Seem To Get Canceled Despite Some Pretty Awful Behavior Also in Celebrity: 33 Years After Getting A Breast Reduction As A Teenager, Drew Barrymore Made A Rare Comment About The Plastic Surgery
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viola Davis Said She Was Taught To Act Like A "Perfect White Actress" At Juilliard, And This Is How It Affected Her
Viola Davis shed light on her formal acting education at Juilliard and the white standard she was held to during each performance. The EGOT winner recently stopped by the Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso podcast for an insightful conversation about her journey to stardom, her liberating projects, and her formative years attending one of the most revered performing arts schools in the world. In the middle of the discussion, Sam asked, "In Juilliard, what was the purpose of their training? Are they shaping you into a good actress or a perfect white actress?" "Definitely a perfect white actress," Viola said. "What it looks technical training in order to deal with the classics — the Strindbergs, and the O'Neills, and the Chekhovs, and the Shakespeares. I totally understand that, to get your But what it denies is the human being behind all of that." Related: These 19 Celebs Started Acting As Kids, But Are Wayyyy More Popular Now — So I'm Positive You Won't Be Able To Identify Them From A Childhood Photo "I feel that as a Black actress, I'm always being tasked to show that I have range, by doing white work. So, if I can master Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire — I can do the best I can with Tennessee Williams, but he writes for fragile, white women. Beautiful work, but it's not me." The G20 star, who's known for taking on powerful roles like Nanisca in The Woman King, Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, Rose Maxson in Fences, added that she was never taught the works of any classic Black writers, which in turn, meant her white classmates weren't either. The limited source teachings felt like a disservice to her. Related: People Are Sharing The Celebrities They Genuinely Feel Bad For, And It's Heartbreaking "But we don't put those same parameters on white actors," Viola continued. "You can have a white actor who's 54 or 55 years old, which is a great age to play Mama in A Raisin in the Sun — is she going to be able to pull off Mama in A Raisin in the Sun? Is she going to be able to pull off Beneatha? Is she going to be able to pull off Molly in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, when Molly says, 'I ain't going south' and make me believe it? They don't have to do that." "So for those four years at Juilliard, all those white actors have to do is play all white characters. That's not me. Me, I'm tasked to only do the classics, and no Black writer is included in those classics. Then, once I leave Juilliard, guess what? Most of what I'll be asked to do are Black characters, which people will not feel I am Black enough. So then I'm caught in a quagmire, this sort of in between place, of sort of not understanding how to use myself as the canvas." Despite being thankful for everything she learned while being there, Viola eventually realized she wasn't able to bring her true, full self to Juilliard. "Juilliard was an out of body experience because once again I did not think that I could use me. Me needed to be left at the front door, even though me was what got me in there." This is why representation is so essential for everyone in all facets of life. People deserve to see themselves as the standard. Although she didn't see herself in any of the roles she took at school, Viola made sure to change that when she officially hit Hollywood, and she's been breaking barriers ever since. It's always interesting learning about the things that help shape the people we know today, and this conversation truly shed light on Viola's life and illustrious career. To learn more, you can watch a clip of this discussion below or watch her full interview on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso here. What did you think of Viola's comments? Share them with me in the comments! Also in Celebrity: These 21 Celebrity Ex-Marriages Were So Brief And Bizarre, They Practically Evaporated From Hollywood History Also in Celebrity: 28 Celebs Who Never Seem To Get Canceled Despite Some Pretty Awful Behavior Also in Celebrity: 33 Years After Getting A Breast Reduction As A Teenager, Drew Barrymore Made A Rare Comment About The Plastic Surgery
Buzz Feed
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Viola Davis Said She Was Taught To Act Like A "Perfect White Actress" At Juilliard, And This Is How It Affected Her
Viola Davis shed light on her formal acting education at Juilliard and the white standard she was held to during each performance. The EGOT winner recently stopped by the Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso podcast for an insightful conversation about her journey to stardom, her liberating projects, and her formative years attending one of the most revered performing arts schools in the world. In the middle of the discussion, Sam asked, "In Juilliard, what was the purpose of their training? Are they shaping you into a good actress or a perfect white actress?" "Definitely a perfect white actress," Viola said. "What it looks technical training in order to deal with the classics — the Strindbergs, and the O'Neills, and the Chekhovs, and the Shakespeares. I totally understand that, to get your But what it denies is the human being behind all of that." "I feel that as a Black actress, I'm always being tasked to show that I have range, by doing white work. So, if I can master Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire — I can do the best I can with Tennessee Williams, but he writes for fragile, white women. Beautiful work, but it's not me." The G20 star, who's known for taking on powerful roles like Nanisca in The Woman King, Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, Rose Maxson in Fences, added that she was never taught the works of any classic Black writers, which in turn, meant her white classmates weren't either. The limited source teachings felt like a disservice to her. "But we don't put those same parameters on white actors," Viola continued. "You can have a white actor who's 54 or 55 years old, which is a great age to play Mama in A Raisin in the Sun — is she going to be able to pull off Mama in A Raisin in the Sun? Is she going to be able to pull off Beneatha? Is she going to be able to pull off Molly in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, when Molly says, 'I ain't going south' and make me believe it? They don't have to do that." "So for those four years at Juilliard, all those white actors have to do is play all white characters. That's not me. Me, I'm tasked to only do the classics, and no Black writer is included in those classics. Then, once I leave Juilliard, guess what? Most of what I'll be asked to do are Black characters, which people will not feel I am Black enough. So then I'm caught in a quagmire, this sort of in between place, of sort of not understanding how to use myself as the canvas." Despite being thankful for everything she learned while being there, Viola eventually realized she wasn't able to bring her true, full self to Juilliard. "Juilliard was an out of body experience because once again I did not think that I could use me. Me needed to be left at the front door, even though me was what got me in there." This is why representation is so essential for everyone in all facets of life. People deserve to see themselves as the standard. Although she didn't see herself in any of the roles she took at school, Viola made sure to change that when she officially hit Hollywood, and she's been breaking barriers ever since. It's always interesting learning about the things that help shape the people we know today, and this conversation truly shed light on Viola's life and illustrious career. To learn more, you can watch a clip of this discussion below or watch her full interview on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso here.
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Ceremonies in Dark Old Men' Review: A Father in Defeat
When it premiered Off Broadway in 1969, 'Ceremonies in Dark Old Men' won Lonne Elder III a Drama Desk Award for 'most promising playwright.' Today, though, it's seldom staged or acknowledged. Taking place at a Harlem barbershop in the 1950s, it tracks the way a Black family is undone by scheming ambition and complacency. A new production at Theater at St. Clement's, starring an excellent Norm Lewis as its flailing patriarch, makes a case not just for its revival but for a re-examination. As with the best of these observant midcentury dramas, 'A Raisin in the Sun' and 'Death of a Salesman' among them, 'Ceremonies' has a bird's-eye understanding of human behavior, grounded by the specificity of its setting. An old vaudevillian still grieving his long-dead wife, Russell Parker (Lewis) hangs around the deserted barbershop his daughter, Adele, pays to keep. Not attempting to earn clients, he kills time playing checkers with a friendly neighbor (James Foster Jr.) and spinning tales to his unemployed sons, the would-be hustler Theopolis (Bryce Michael Wood) and the sticky-fingered Bobby (Jeremiah Packer). But Adele (Morgan Siobhan Green) has had it. She'd cut her dreams of college short to help support the family, and seven years later, none of them have made anything of themselves. In a week's time, she plans to sell the shop and change the locks on the adjoining house where they all live. (Harry Feiner's set fills the bones of its skeletal, two-level structure with homey period touches.) Green fills out her short appearances imperiously. You're scared she'll catch the men as they hatch a plan to sell bootleg whiskey out of the shop with help from the shady Blue (Calvin M. Thompson). His phony 'Harlem Decolonization Association' is a shameless front for a tentacled racket, which includes looting neighborhood businesses. Elder's play brims with poignant gestures at the Parkers' world, capturing a Harlem in the midst of the promise of civil rights, and of those in its community caught in the crosshairs of honest work and easy exploitation. His characters feel real and their relationships insightful, though under Clinton Turner Davis's direction, some laugh lines seem purposely underplayed, as if leaning into the play's comedy would undermine its eventual tragedy. But Elder's sharp humor still peeks through his clever plotting, especially in the brothers' banter. The work is also a portrait of a generational divide, between Russell's old-fashioned fear of God and his children's agnostic survivalism. With droopy-eyed weariness, Lewis affectingly registers a loss of faith. He's resigned to the scheme's obviously doomed fate, even as he admits flickers of happiness at remembering old dance routines or carrying on a pitiful fling with a younger woman (Felicia Boswell). Some issues with pacing and characterization prevent this staging from effectively showcasing all that 'Ceremonies' has to offer, but both the play and production have an undeniable dramatic and social potency. It's as essential as any in the oft-revived midcentury American canon.
