Latest news with #September2024
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
An ex-college basketball player testifies that Sean ‘Diddy' Combs got ‘extremely creative' on drugs
This courtroom sketch depicts Sean "Diddy" Combs sitting at the defence table during his bail hearing in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Elizabeth Williams via AP, File) NEW YORK — A former Syracuse University basketball player who worked recently for Sean 'Diddy' Combs as a personal assistant testified at the music mogul's sex trafficking trial on Friday that Combs got 'extremely creative' when he was on drugs. Brendan Paul, 26, was arrested last year at a Miami airport with cocaine he says belonged to Combs, and he testified with immunity about what it was like working for the hip-hop entrepreneur for a year and a half. Paul was arrested in March 2024 — the same day federal agents conducted multiple searches related to the Combs' investigation. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks of testimony from an array of witnesses ranging from ex-girlfriends and former employees to male sex workers and the rapper Kid Cudi. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, even made a surprise appearance at the courthouse. The prosecution seeks to convince the jury that Combs oversaw a sprawling racketeering enterprise for two decades that relied on obedience by employees willing to do anything for him, including buying drugs when necessary. Defence lawyers say Combs did not commit federal crimes, although they acknowledge that prosecutors have exposed domestic violence during the trial. After pleading not guilty following his September arrest at a Manhattan hotel, Combs has been held without bail at a federal lockup in Brooklyn. Prosecutors were expected to rest their case by Monday. A defence presentation is expected to last from two to five days. Paul said he bought drugs for Combs between five and 10 times, spending up to $500 for drugs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana. He said he only did drugs with Combs once, when Combs asked him to try 'tusi,' also known as pink cocaine, to see if it was good. Paul said he did so because he 'wanted to prove my loyalty' and said he thought it was good. 'We continued on with our night,' he told Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavic. Paul said that prior to his arrest, he had forgotten about the cocaine after collecting it while 'sweeping' Combs' room that morning and had accidentally left it in a bag he carried as he prepared to go on vacation with Combs and other aides. The charges were dismissed after Paul completed a pretrial diversion program. Under questioning by defence attorney Brian Steel, Paul said his 'heart dropped' when he realized that there was cocaine in a travel bag after telling officers at the airport that everything in the bag belonged to him. Steel asked Paul if Combs was generally happy and didn't hurt anyone when he was on drugs. 'He got extremely creative,' Paul responded. At another point, Steel asked the witness: 'You would not work for a criminal, would you?' 'Absolutely not,' Paul responded. Slavic, though, elicited Paul's mixed feelings about Combs when the prosecutor asked him just before he finished his testimony: 'Sitting here today, how do you feel about Mr. Combs?' 'It's complicated,' he answered. Paul, originally from Cleveland, was a 6-foot-2 guard who walked on at Syracuse University and came off the bench in 16 games over two seasons, playing a total of 17 minutes and scored just 3 points. He later transferred to lower-tier Fairmont State University in West Virginia, where he played for two more seasons. Michael R. Sisak And Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cardi B Posts First Photos of Baby Blossom as She Twins With Her Kids in Matching Louis Vuitton
Shortly after filing for divorce, Cardi B and Offset welcomed their third child, Blossom, in September 2024. While she's let her baby's name slip during various social media posts, Cardi gave the Bardi Gang their first official glimpse of Blossom when posting a series of photos of her three kids to Instagram on Monday (June 16). 'It is you Miss Blossom Belles,' she captioned the pictures. It was a Louis Vuitton-filled pool day for Cardi and the family at home. Sporting a million-dollar smile, Blossom stars in the first photo while wearing a pink onesie and an LV scarf with pink bow socks. More from Billboard Cardi B Welcomes Baby No. 3 With Estranged Husband Offset, Shares Photos From Hospital Beyoncé Thanks Sir Paul McCartney for 'One of the Best Songs Ever Made' Good Charlotte Announce First Album in Seven Years, 'Motel Du Cap' Cardi was twinning with her daughter, Kulture, who posed poolside in a matching LV headband and handbag. She also showed some love to son Wave, as he looked unbothered while messing around on his phone and rocking a pair of Timberland boots. Motherhood could be in Latto's future, as the Atlanta rapper hopped into the comments section saying she's suffering from 'Baby feverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr wtffffffff.' Anycia, GloRilla and Stefflon Don also gushed about the family Cardi's built. Cardi B's new boo, Stefon Diggs, wasn't present for the pool day, but the couple appears to be going strong heading into the summer. On the legal side, the Grammy-winning rapper and Offset are still sorting out a bitter divorce after Cardi filed for the second time last August. Last month, Offset filed for spousal support in the divorce proceedings with Cardi. The Migos rapper amended the filing with a request for an unspecified amount of alimony. Days later, Cardi went off on Offset during an explosive X Spaces. 'You such a f—ing p—y a– n—a,' she slammed her ex. 'Word to my mother, I want you to die, but I want you to die f—ing slow. When you die, I want you to die slow in the bed. And when you die, n—a, you gotta think of me.' Find Cardi's family photos here. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sabrina Carpenter takes savage swipe at fan comparing her 'oversexed' shoot with controversial Lolita film
Sabrina Carpenter is defending a photo from her September 2024 W magazine spread. This week the 26-year-old pop star — who has faced criticism since announcing her latest album, Man's Best Friend — shut down a fan who compared an image featured in the shoot to the controversial 1997 film Lolita. The movie, based on Vladimir Nabokov's book, follows a man's inappropriate infatuation with a teenage girl. It stars Jeremy Irons, Dominique Swain, Melanie Griffith and Frank Langella. TikTok user @arcafan999 re-shared a side-by-side comparison of two photos — one of Sabrina lying in grass under a sprinkler, and a movie still of Dominique doing the same thing — originally posted by The Pop Faction. The post was captioned, 'gross,' and the social media user asked in a video, 'What the eff is this?' Sabrina denied the Lolita inspiration, writing in the comments: 'i've never seen this movie. it's never been on my mood board and never would be.' However, the critic didn't back down and instead doubled down on the judgement. In a comment that has garnered nearly 9,000 likes, the person quoted a line from Carpenter's song Nonsense, which she tweaked for a Mexican audience while on tour, writing: '"fully grown but i look like a niña," [yeah] sure.' Per an account from Billboard, the complete lyric Sabrina used in the show was, 'I'm full grown but I look like a niña/ Come put something big in my casita/ Mexico, I think you are bonita!' For the cover of Rolling Ston e's July/August issue, the Bed Chem songstress went nude. She posed on her knees, dressed in nothing save for thigh-high white hosiery. Her famous platinum blonde extensions fell over her bare butt and down to her thighs in soft ringlets. Meanwhile, her dainty, manicured hands were crisscrossed over her chest to cover her modesty as she gazed up with her lips parted. The singer-songwriter has largely used her sex appeal to market her music and keep fans entertained tantalized. It's never been more evident than throughout her Short n' Sweet Tour, which kicked off last September and runs through this November. Audiences have come to expect simulated sex acts and cheekily engineered lyrics from the petite performer during the stage show. Footage from the set contain concertgoers reveling during these moments, but Sabrina has also received criticism for the NSFW display. Addressing the hate in her RS cover story, Carpenter noted that the sex-centric songs are the ones most beloved by fans. 'It's always so funny to me when people complain,' she said. 'They're like, "All she does is sing about this." But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly you love sex. You're obsessed with it.' Referencing one song in particular, she added, 'It's in my show. There's so many more moments than the "Juno" positions, but those are the ones you post every night and comment on. I can't control that. 'If you come to the show, you'll [also] hear the ballads, you'll hear the more introspective numbers.' The music artist reflected, 'I find irony and humor in all of that, because it seems to be a recurring theme. I'm not upset about it, other than I feel mad pressure to be funny sometimes.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bride Grieves Her Mom's Death by Transforming Her Wedding Dress in a 'Healing' and Unexpected Way (Exclusive)
A bride honored her late mom when she got married to her husband in September 2024 The newlywed shares how she repurposed her mom's wedding dress into her bridal party outfit as a way of channeling her grief In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the bride opens up about the "healing" presence of her mom through the fashion tributeWhen Delaware bride Ana began planning her wedding, she knew she wanted to remember her late mom — who died of lung cancer at the age of 46 in 2008 — during the ceremony, but not through a traditional remembrance table. Instead of emphasizing her mother's absence, the newlywed — who was only 15 when her mom, a NICU nurse and teacher, died — wanted something more symbolic. So when Ana, 32, discovered her mother's wedding dress from the 1980s, which she didn't realize was still in her dad's attic until they found it during clean-out in 2023, she knew exactly what to do. "I always loved the sleeves of the dress," Ana tells PEOPLE, adding that she "immediately decided to repurpose them for the bridal shower," which was largely attended by her matriarch's family. "There were many tears at the shower when people recognized the sleeves." Still, there was the ceremony to think about. And Ana found a way to honor her mom in that special moment too. "Soon after my mom passed, I purchased wall art of recycled brass bells and had it hanging in my house. One day in 2023, I walked by it and thought to place bells on everyone's seat to create an atmospheric energy during the recessional. With the dress sleeves repurposed, I had most of the fabric left and the week of my wedding, my dad and I spent hours cutting the lace into strips and tying them to the bells made of recycled metal that I found on Etsy." Although cutting the dress felt "a little savage" for Ana, she adds, "it was ultimately a beautiful way to connect her journey to mine." A video from the couple's nuptials, held at the Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Delaware, was shared to TikTok by Ana's photographer, Rebecca of East Coast-based company Luna & Lark, who tells PEOPLE that documenting the scene and seeing guests beaming with "overwhelming joy and pride" was "uplifting and inspiring." The clip garnered heartfelt comments like this one that read, "And her mother was once again the loudest one cheering her on." "I see a lot of remembrance gestures at weddings, but this was beautifully interactive and created an atmosphere. It naturally made some people cry. A sense of joy and remembrance was present the entire time and you could just feel it," says Rebecca. She continues: "Even though people were cheering, the bells seemed to ring louder than all of that and everyone was using them. Normally if you give guests something, like petals to throw, only some will follow through. I didn't see a single person not ringing their bell as they came down the aisle and that was really special to witness." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After the wedding, the bells found new homes with Ana's loved ones. "Throughout the months following, my friends have shared pictures of the bells on a mantles, hanging from Christmas trees, on an ancestor table, in a keepsake box." She says handing out the memento was like gifting her moms' "love to those who knew her and those who wish they could have known her." The wedding dress and bells weren't the only sentimental part of the day. "I had gifted my best friend and childhood neighbor my mother's pin of a white rose on her wedding day in 2016," shares Ana. "She wore it as she placed her veil on me on my wedding day. That was a beautiful surprise." is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Looking back, Ana says her mom would've appreciated "the practicality and intentionality" that came from recycling the gown. "My mom and I were very close, although I was so young when she passed that we did not get the opportunity to fully transition our relationship from parent to friend. She was deeply caring and empathetic, a natural mentor who inspired me and my brother [who officiated the wedding], her students and her patients through love and encouragement. She was a gentle force with a quiet confidence." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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
