3 days ago
YouTuber Armon Wiggins regrets Diddy stunt
Content creator Armon Wiggins has apologized after footage showed him dancing shirtless and being sprayed with baby oil outside the courthouse following the Diddy trial verdict.
In an interview with The Trial of Diddy podcast, the self-described 'independent media personality' insisted his actions were not in support of the disgraced rap mogul.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 55, was convicted on Wednesday of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Wiggins told podcast host Kayla Brantley that he was 'misrepresented by the media', adding that fans of his reporting know he believes Diddy was fortunate to escape the most serious charges.
'In reporting the case, I was trying to take a very eerie, grim situation and turn it into something digestible for people', the YouTuber argued.
'I wasn't making light of the victims or poking fun at them. What ended up happening on the final day was that we were just having a good time.
We had been there at the trial from start to finish – we were tired and wanted to celebrate making it to the end.
'I was just vibing with another YouTuber, to be honest with you, and before I knew it, there was a crowd of people with television cameras and lights that circled around me.'
Wiggins claimed he didn't profit from the viral video and said his intention was to mock Diddy, not his victims.
'I got a lot of hate and lost followers', he said.
'I said to myself afterwards: I've got to grow up and learn to control the narrative because it was irresponsible.
'Even if my fans knew the intent behind it, that doesn't matter when you have 150 cameras out there in a heightened situation. You've got to be smarter than that.
'The amount of baby oil involved in the trial became ridiculous. You can't even say baby oil now without laughing. Really, I was making fun of Diddy – he came across as crazy.
'How many bottles of baby oil does one person need?
'In hindsight, I regret it for the simple fact that people were hurting, and it taught me never to be above reproach.
'If you make a mistake, you have to be humble enough to say, I didn't mean that and I apologize.'