Latest news with #BurningMan
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Could Diddy Have Played James Brown In ‘Get On Up' Biopic Over Chadwick Boseman?
During a pivotal moment in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ongoing sex trafficking trial, a surprising detail emerged about the Hip-Hop mogul's past acting ambitions. According to the testimony of his former assistant under the pseudonym 'Mia,' he once auditioned to portray James Brown in the 2014 biopic Get on Up. The role ultimately went to Chadwick Boseman. The revelation surfaced during cross-examinations on Monday (June 2) where Mia accused Combs of rape and sexual assault. As part of the evidence presented in court, prosecutors showed a series of text messages exchanged between Mia and Combs. In one message, dated August 2020 — just after Boseman's passing — Mia wrote to Diddy, 'Thinking of you with Chadwick Boseman,' referencing Diddy's attempt to secure the role of the late music legend, James Brown. Mia also mentioned that she still had his audition tape, which she described as a full-scale 'production' they worked on for a week. Other text messages recalled moments that included the film's producer and Rock and Roll legend, Mick Jagger, allegedly flirting with her. She also mentioned a high-stakes poker game between Diddy and Leonardo DiCaprio, where Diddy allegedly remarked: 'That Titanic motherf**ker doesn't know sh*t. He won $10,000. I won $650,000.' On a more serious tip, Mia testified that during her eight years working for Diddy, she endured repeated physical and sexual abuse. 'The highs were really high, and the lows were really low,' she recalled on the stand. She described the alleged rape as 'the worst and most shameful thing that's ever happened to me,' adding that she was 'brainwashed' and 'constantly seeking his approval,' even after no longer working for him. Among the accusations, Mia also claimed the 55-year-old once slammed her arm in a door, and threw her against a wall while once physically assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. She also added that he once forced her to take ketamine during a trip to Burning Man, which is a 'global ecosystem of artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events, and local initiatives around the world,' that takes place in the Nevada desert. Mia claimed that she now suffers from 'severe PTSD' as a result of her time working for him. Diddy, who has maintained his innocence, is currently facing multiple charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. If convicted, he could face 15 years to life in prison. More from Cassie Testifies Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs: Takeaways From Her Bombshell Testimony Suge Knight Gives Unexpected Take On Diddy's Possible Fate In Sex Trafficking Trial Boosie Badazz Accuses Cassie And Her Husband Of "Masterminding Diddy's Take Down"
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The penny: See the iconic coin's many uses
The penny: See the iconic coin's many uses A three-penny snowman is shown in Times Square in 2017. Kevin Wexler, Via USA TODAY Network The original penny bar from Patrick Sullivan's Saloon still stands at Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in the Old City in Knoxville, Tenn., July 2019 Ruth White, Shopper News Via USA TODAY Network An art piece with pennies, shaded in the image of U.S. President Donald Trump at the front door at the Faith and Freedom Barbecue at the Civic Center of Anderson, S.C. on July 22, 2019. Ken Ruinard / Staff A person takes a close-up photo of a bear sculpture covered in old pennies at Burning Man 2023. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY An old bowling ball covered in pennies in a garden. Ben Hasty, MediaNews Group Via Getty Images SatchelÕs Pizza in Gainesville, Fla. used pennies on the floor of the entrance and also used on a table. The popular restaurant also uses other recycled items such as bicycle cycle chains, floppy discs and cassette tapes as table tops. Sean Dougherty, USA TODAY YouTuber Cory Nielsen sits next to the pyramid he built using pennies in Phoenix, June 21, 2019. He set a world record for his creation. Molly Hudson, The Republic Via USA TODAY NETWORK Jessie Driscoll with Made from Coins has his custom jewelry on display at the 2021 St. James Court Art Show in Louisville on Oct. 1, 2021. Alton Strupp, Courier Journal Via USA TODAY NETWORK Make clothes? Hungarian graphic artist Tibor Gaal, also known as T-Boy, stands in Heroes Square in Budapest with his handmade "tie of coins" outfit on March 10, 2008. When the Hungarian National Bank withdrew one forint (0.0038 euros and 0.0058 US dollars) and two forint coins from circulation on February 29, 2008, the artist made his suit with the coins and was sponsored by a glue company. FERENC ISZA, AFP Via Getty Images A Visalia sanitation official hot-glued two pennies to blind couple David McElroy and Pamela Drake's trash can, so they could tell the two bins apart by touch in 2019. David McElroy and Pamela Drake are not happy with Visalia's three-can conversion. They say the switch is a significant problem for blind residents because the new bins "are identical to the touch." According to the couple and advocates, the oversight is a symptom of larger accessibility problems for blind folks throughout the Central Valley, particularly its many rural communities. Joshua Yeager, Visalia Times Delta Via USA TODAY Network Participant Lea touches the art installation "Penny the Goose" during the Burning Man "Carnival of Mirrors" arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, September 4, 2015. The art installation is covered with over 120,000 pennies Jim Urquhart, REUTERS You can use a penny to check the tread on your tires. Place a penny into several grooves, with Lincoln's head pointing into the tread. As long as Lincoln's head is covered, you have the proper minimum of depth remaining. Casey Williams, /For The Star Via USA TODAY Network Painter-fashion creator Fiorntino Albion of Florence, Italy has designed this latest model, called "Numismatico". It is a two piece outfit for the beach that is covered with coins from many nations. Albion's previous ensembles have included dresses made of fur, shells, glass, and wood. Circa 1968 Bettmann Archive Via Getty Images Historic Auto Attractions owner Wayne Lensing stands in front of the 1976 Bicentennial money car, a Cadillac covered in 120,000 coins, Friday, June 18, 2010, at the museum, 13825 Metric Drive in Roscoe. REBECCA BURLETTE , Via USA TODAY Network Owner Ed Riley points out the penny bar top that he personally made at the new Alcaniz Kitchen & Tap room in downtown Pensacola on Friday, December 21, 2018. Gregg Pachkowski, Via USA TODAY Network
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy's ex-assistant faces aggressive cross-examination from his team
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. Sign up to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial. Diddy's former personal assistant, a woman identified in court by the pseudonym 'Mia,' returned to the witness stand for another day of detailed testimony. Mia has accused Diddy of sexual assault and other physical violence, but her allegations of forced labor are especially crucial for the U.S. government's racketeering conspiracy case against the rapper. Mia was aggressively cross-examined by Brian Steel, one of Diddy's lawyers. Steel attempted to undermine Mia's account, confronting her with pictures and social media posts that appeared to show the ex-assistant enjoying her years working for the wealthy mogul. Mia pushed back, insisting seemingly carefree Instagram photos didn't reflect her 'misery.' Here's what you need to know about today's testimony: In late October 2015, Diddy threatened to both kill Mia and take her to human resources, she told jurors. Diddy 'doesn't sound in his right mind,' Mia told the rapper's then-chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, in a WhatsApp message. The threats made Mia 'terrified and sad,' she said under questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser. Steel, speaking in a skeptical tone, led Mia through a binder of photos, emails and other materials that he implied illustrated a close bond with Diddy. 'You're standing right next to and leaning toward him, the man who terrorized you,' Steele said, referring to a photo of the two at the Burning Man festival in 2013. 'Yes,' Mia replied matter-of-factly. In a particularly pointed exchange, Steel asserted that Diddy 'never had unwanted non-consensual sex' with Mia. She replied: 'What I said is true. I have not lied to anyone at all.' Steel then implied that Mia had exaggerated the number of times Diddy allegedly violated her sexually. 'Everything I said in this courtroom is true,' she said. ALSO: President Donald Trump isn't ruling out a pardon for Diddy. Trump, asked today whether he would consider taking that step, told reporters in the Oval Office that 'nobody's asked' but that he would 'certainly look at the facts.' He went on to say that he hadn't seen or spoken to the rapper in years, and that he wasn't following the trial closely. Mia, facing a forceful cross-examination, struck a respectful but defiant tone. She readily acknowledged that she lavished praise and adoration on Diddy in emails, texts and photo captions over the years, even after he allegedly abused her. She came across as confident, far less subdued than she was during pivotal parts of yesterday's testimony. Diddy seemed especially interested as Steel led Mia through various Instagram posts, at one point putting on his glasses and leaning toward the monitor to get a closer look. The defense pressed Mia on her social media posts and communications in which she complimented Diddy as a 'mentor and inspiration.' When she was fired, she was crestfallen, texting, 'I'm going to kill myself, my life is over,' and 'I'm so heartbroken I can't breathe.' She confirmed that after leaving Diddy's employ, she obtained a severance of $400,000. This is all fair game for cross-examination. In fact, it's essential. So far, a few of the government's witnesses have described what a horrible person Diddy was — but then testified that they couldn't bring themselves to walk away from him. The government called an expert to testify that victims of domestic violence find it difficult to extricate themselves from a romantic partner. But is that the same for employees who work for a tyrant? Are they also unable to leave? Maybe. Perhaps members of the jury identify with Mia — perhaps they also once had a horrible boss but felt they couldn't leave their job. Or maybe they see Mia as less credible because, in their minds, no matter how bad the job is, you can always choose to leave. And it seems no one wanted to leave Diddy, no matter how despicably he behaved. Next week: Diddy's defense team is expected to continue cross-examining 'Mia' on Monday. PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧 This article was originally published on
NBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Diddy's ex-assistant faces aggressive cross-examination from his team
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. Sign up to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial. Diddy's former personal assistant, a woman identified in court by the pseudonym ' Mia,' returned to the witness stand for another day of detailed testimony. Mia has accused Diddy of sexual assault and other physical violence, but her allegations of forced labor are especially crucial for the U.S. government's racketeering conspiracy case against the rapper. Mia was aggressively cross-examined by Brian Steel, one of Diddy's lawyers. Steel attempted to undermine Mia's account, confronting her with pictures and social media posts that appeared to show the ex-assistant enjoying her years working for the wealthy mogul. Mia pushed back, insisting seemingly carefree Instagram photos didn't reflect her 'misery.' Here's what you need to know about today's testimony: In late October 2015, Diddy threatened to both kill Mia and take her to human resources, she told jurors. Diddy 'doesn't sound in his right mind,' Mia told the rapper's then-chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, in a WhatsApp message. The threats made Mia 'terrified and sad,' she said under questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser. Steel, speaking in a skeptical tone, led Mia through a binder of photos, emails and other materials that he implied illustrated a close bond with Diddy. 'You're standing right next to and leaning toward him, the man who terrorized you,' Steele said, referring to a photo of the two at the Burning Man festival in 2013. 'Yes,' Mia replied matter-of-factly. In a particularly pointed exchange, Steel asserted that Diddy 'never had unwanted non-consensual sex' with Mia. She replied: 'What I said is true. I have not lied to anyone at all.' Steel then implied that Mia had exaggerated the number of times Diddy allegedly violated her sexually. 'Everything I said in this courtroom is true,' she said. ALSO: President Donald Trump isn't ruling out a pardon for Diddy. Trump, asked today whether he would consider taking that step, told reporters in the Oval Office that 'nobody's asked' but that he would 'certainly look at the facts.' He went on to say that he hadn't seen or spoken to the rapper in years, and that he wasn't following the trial closely. 🔎 The view from inside By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas and Jing Feng Mia, facing a forceful cross-examination, struck a respectful but defiant tone. She readily acknowledged that she lavished praise and adoration on Diddy in emails, texts and photo captions over the years, even after he allegedly abused her. She came across as confident, far less subdued than she was during pivotal parts of yesterday's testimony. Diddy seemed especially interested as Steel led Mia through various Instagram posts, at one point putting on his glasses and leaning toward the monitor to get a closer look. 👨⚖️ Analysis: Horrible bosses By Danny Cevallos The defense pressed Mia on her social media posts and communications in which she complimented Diddy as a 'mentor and inspiration.' When she was fired, she was crestfallen, texting, 'I'm going to kill myself, my life is over,' and 'I'm so heartbroken I can't breathe.' She confirmed that after leaving Diddy's employ, she obtained a severance of $400,000. This is all fair game for cross-examination. In fact, it's essential. So far, a few of the government's witnesses have described what a horrible person Diddy was — but then testified that they couldn't bring themselves to walk away from him. The government called an expert to testify that victims of domestic violence find it difficult to extricate themselves from a romantic partner. But is that the same for employees who work for a tyrant? Are they also unable to leave? Maybe. Perhaps members of the jury identify with Mia — perhaps they also once had a horrible boss but felt they couldn't leave their job. Or maybe they see Mia as less credible because, in their minds, no matter how bad the job is, you can always choose to leave. And it seems no one wanted to leave Diddy, no matter how despicably he behaved. Next week: Diddy's defense team is expected to continue cross-examining 'Mia' on Monday. PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧
Axios
3 days ago
- General
- Axios
How a Noe Valley resident turned her neighbors into friends
After Laura Carlson's plans to buy a multi-family home with friends fell through, she decided, "We should make our neighbors into our friends." The big picture: Connecting with people on your block can feel radical when a majority of Americans don't know most of their neighbors. Zoom in: Carlson, who lives with her husband, toddler and cat, moved into a single-family home in Noe Valley last June. As self-described "burners" — fans of Burning Man — Carlson and her husband value community and the principle of "gifting without expectation." What she did: Organized a neighborhood social hour. She knocked on neighbors' doors and handed out flyers, which was "very time-consuming and draining," she says. The hard work paid off. At the first event, some people who lived in Noe Valley for 40 years finally met their neighbors, who were excited to plan future events. "For every bit of energy I've invested, I've received so much more from other people." Since that first gathering, the network has steadily grown. Less than a year later, neighbors now share lemons from their trees ("the classic San Francisco favor"), babysit, and chat in a WhatsApp group that's 70-people strong. "My personal favorite thing is that organizing social hours now takes me about five minutes," because the group votes on times through WhatsApp. Their last social hour was last Sunday. Here are a few things Carlson learned from her experience and a community-building group called the Neighborhood Accelerator Program: When you knock on doors, practice an opening line like "I'm your neighbor, I live right there," because that disarms someone who might think you're selling something. Try not to be discouraged if people don't open the door. Don't push the text group idea before people see the value in one. Asking, "Will you join this WhatsApp group full of strangers?" isn't as appealing as having a nice conversation with someone, and then asking, "Do you want to do this again?" A front yard or public park is ideal for your first event. Hers was on a hill.
