21-04-2025
Reality check: Diddy and Menendez Brothers documentaries show truth is stranger than fiction
If you enjoy documentaries, two offerings are bound to pique your interest.
The first is 'Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy', which delves into the rise and fall of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, offering insight into his childhood, meteoric rise to a music mogul, and arrest.
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Of course, with the heightened interest around Diddy, who is currently behind bars awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges on May 5, this documentary is perfectly timed.
It offers intimate knowledge of the star before he got caught up in the whirlwind of fame of fortune.
The documentary feature opens with Diddy ranting, followed by poignant moments that led to his current situation.
These include video footage, from March 16, of him physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. It shifts to the raid on March 25, 2024.
Those who knew him, either as a friend, associate, or bodyguard, unpacked their knowledge of him.
This includes Tim Patterson, a childhood friend, who acknowledges that while Diddy is regarded as public enemy number one and has been monsterised, the person he knew was somewhat different.
Growing up in Mount Vernon, the boujee north side, Diddy grew up with the best of everything. He described his style as a 4-year-old in a 30-year-old's wardrobe.
Patterson recalled how he was bullied and how he protected Combs before they parted ways, with him joining the army.
In becoming this untouchable music mogul, Diddy was linked to many violent acts, including beefs with other artists, but he always seemed to avoid any legal punishment, until now, that is.
This disturbing feature, which includes archived video footage and photos, is underpinned by feedback from his friend Rich Parker, Gene Deal, his bodyguard from 1991 - 2005, and Dr Carolyn West, a domestic violence and sex trafficking expert, among others.
This is available on DStv Catch Up as well as Showmax. 'Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed' is a three-part docu-series, which brings some shocking facts to light.
Another headline-grabbing story that's been revisited is M-Net's 'Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed', a three-part offering, which debuted on Thursday.
It delves into the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who infamously killed their parents in 1989. The brothers accused their father of abuse as children, which was key to their defence, however, they were eventually found guilty and have spent their lives behind bars.
However, a former Menudo member Roy Rosselló, claimed that Jose Menendez - then an executive at RCA Records, which signed Menudo to a multimillion-dollar contract, raped him as well.
The stories by the brothers and the artists raise pertinent questions around child sexual abuse cases.
