Bill Maher sparks backlash over Cassie and Diddy comments as trial continues
Bill Maher has ignited fury over his latest comments about the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial.
To close out Friday night's Real Time With Bill Maher episode, the host delivered a monologue about the music mogul's ongoing trial and his thoughts on abuse and stardom.
Combs is facing is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. He was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims 'to fulfill his sexual desires' between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
'Diddy is a bad dude, really bad,' Maher began. 'And we should lock him up and throw away the baby oil,' he continued in his signature satirical style.
He then segued into discussing the trial in the context of the post-Me Too movement era, saying: 'Things have changed enough so that moving forward, the rule should be if you're being abused, you gotta leave right away.'
'Now I completely understand why in the past women often did not do that,' Maher continued. 'I understand, as counter-intuitive as it seems, why an abused woman would send complementary texts or emails to her abuser after the abuse. And that everywhere, women felt, for good reason, that O.G. predators like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein would never be held accountable. Why not at least get something out of it?'
He continued, noting that the alleged perpetrators of abuse were 'surrounded by all sorts of enablers' who 'lured women into unsafe spaces,' and 'cowards who knew what was going on but didn't dare expose the person who signed their paycheck.'
'In that scenario,' Maher continued, 'it was not illogical for an abused woman to say, 'Well, if I can't get justice for my pain, can I at least get a receipt?''
Maher went on to point out that aforementioned abusers Cosby and Weinstein went to prison, with the latter expected to die behind bars. He also pointed out that post-Me Too movement reporting indicates women are more likely to speak up against mistreatment and abuse.
Still, he reiterated being 'aware that it can be difficult to leave an abusive relationship.' He then said that women should go to the police right away instead of journaling in the aftermath of experiencing mistreatment or abuse. 'And most importantly, don't keep f****** him,' he said, seemingly referring to Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's pattern of repeatedly returning to the music mogul despite the alleged abuse she experienced.
After brief applause, he continued: 'Your only contemporaneous notes about what he did should be the police report. It's not victim shaming to expect women to have the agency to leave toxic relationships. Quite the contrary, to not expect that is infantilizing them.'
Maher then noted that if Combs were to walk free, it could be due to the alleged text messages from Ventura 'expressing what's often called enthusiastic consent to their sex life.' Ventura's texts were cross-examined as part of Combs's trial.
'I get it. Part of the allure of the music industry is you wanna be a star,' Maher continued. 'And music is, to begin with, highly sexualized.'
'But if we're going to have an honest conversation about abuse, we also have to have an honest conversation about what people are willing to do for stardom,' he added. 'If you want a number one record on the charts so bad you'll take a number one in the face, some of that is on you.'
Maher continued: 'If you're literally being held captive, that's one thing. But if you're putting up with whatever for love or for your career, then you need to have a little more honesty and accountability about that.'
The Independent has contacted a press representative for Maher's show for comment.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, nearly 1 in 3 college women say they've been in an abusive relationship, and, on average, it takes a woman about seven tries to leave an abusive relationship for good.
Maher's monologue prompted intense backlash from women for failing to understand the difficulty in leaving abusive relationships, with several citing the 2016 hotel surveillance video that captured Ventura attempting to flee Combs while participating in one of his 'freak offs.'
'That's insanely ignorant, we have seen in the video that she tried to leave… yes women will be believed way faster than in the past, but still the abuse is not black and white,' one woman wrote on Facebook.
'Like she tried to leave the hotel? Don't be a pig, Bill,' someone else wrote.
'Until people are in a domestic violence relationship. They had no understanding of how hard it is to get out of one. It's not as easy as it seems,' another said.
'Floored by people who do not understand abusive relationships. You don't know what was actually going on. To say she stayed for the money is probably the crulest thing to say. Bill Maher is just a jerk,' someone else chimed in.
'Of course a man would make this comment. You have no idea what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and to get out of it. You need to just shut up about something you no nothing about,' someone else wrote on X.
Another shared: 'Obviously, doesn't know anything about grooming, domestic violence abuse or keeping his f****** mouth shut!'
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327.
Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
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