Jinkx Monsoon to take over lead role on Broadway's ‘Oh, Mary!'; says she's ‘lucky to be alive at same time as' Cole Escola
Mary Todd Lincoln, meet Jinkx Monsoon.
Monsoon, best known for her winning runs on both 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and 'Drag Race All Stars,' announced on Wednesday that she is set to take over the lead role in the wild, Tony-winning historical spoof 'Oh, Mary!' on Broadway this summer.
Current star Cole Escola won the Tony Award for best lead actor in a play for the role earlier this month, and is also credited with writing the play.
In Monsoon's announcement, she called Escola a 'genius' and said the play was 'one of the best things I've ever seen.'
'Cole is easily the funniest person alive and I'm just lucky to be alive at the same time,' she added.
'Oh, Mary!' is a revisionist farce that looks at American history during the administration of Abraham Lincoln, exploring the curious dynamic between the president – who many posit was in the closet – and his unruly, alcoholic wife Mary Todd leading up to their fateful night out to the theater.
Monsoon is set to perform in 'Oh, Mary!' from August 4 to September 27, following a run by Tituss Burgess.
Escola originated the role when the show opened last summer and continued until January. Escola returned for a limited run in April, which concludes this weekend.
In her time in the 'Drag Race' orbit, Monsoon was a popular figure whose theatrics, impeccable comic timing and biting humor often shined through, especially in the Snatch Game segments when she impersonated legends such as Edie Beale.
Monsoon has also amassed an impressive theater resume, both on the Great White Way and off. She appeared in 'Chicago' and can currently be seen in 'Pirates! The Penzance Musical.' She also enjoyed a run as Audrey in 'Little Shop of Horrors' off-Broadway and regularly tours. She performs a beloved holiday show with her fellow 'Drag Race' alum BenDeLaCreme.
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New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Country singer Gavin Adcock trashes Beyoncé and her ‘Cowboy Carter' album: ‘That s— ain't country music'
It's a real-life hoedown. Country music star Gavin Adcock, 26, recently targeted Beyoncé because her 'Cowboy Carter' album is topping his in the country music charts. The one-sided feud kicked off over the weekend when the 'My Own Worst Enemy' artist began ranting about the 'Texas Hold 'Em' singer and her Grammy-winning record during a concert. 8 Gavin Adcock recently targeted Beyoncé because her 'Cowboy Carter' album is topping his in the country music charts. Mason Poole via PictureGroup/Shutterstock 8 The one-sided feud kicked off over the weekend when Adcock began ranting about the 'Texas Hold 'Em' singer and her Grammy-winning record during a concert. Gavin Adcock/Instagram 'Cowboy Carter' currently sits at No. 3 on Apple Music's country albums chart, while Adcock's album follows at No. 4. 'You can tell her we're coming for her f–king ass,' Adcock said, according to a video from the show. 'That s–t ain't country music, and it ain't ever been country music, and it ain't gonna be country music.' After the clip of his rant went viral on social media, Adcock took to Instagram on Monday, June 30, to double down on his thoughts about the 43-year-old superstar and her country album. 8 'You can tell her we're coming for her f–king ass,' Adcock said during a concert over the weekend. Gavin Adcock/Instagram 8 The 'Deep End' singer then took to Instagram on Monday to double down on his thoughts about the superstar and her country album. Gavin Adcock/Instagram 'I'm gonna go ahead and clear this up,' Adcock began. 'When I was a little kid, my mama was blasting some Beyoncé in the car. I've heard a ton of Beyoncé songs, and I actually remember her Super Bowl halftime show being pretty kick ass back in the day.' 'But I really don't believe that her album should be labeled as country music,' he continued. 'It doesn't sound country. It doesn't feel country.' Adcock ended his Instagram video by saying that it wasn't fair country stars like himself 'should have to compete' against the former Destiny's Child star. 8 'But I really don't believe that her album should be labeled as country music,' Adcock said of 'Cowboy Carter.' Blair Caldwell/Parkwood Entertainment LLC 8 Adcock ended his Instagram video by saying that it wasn't fair country stars like himself 'should have to compete' against Beyoncé. 'And I just don't think that people who have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and this lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album just to stay at the top just because she's Beyoncé,' he concluded. The 'A Cigarette' singer's surprising remarks about 'Cowboy Carter' came months after Beyoncé beat out Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson for Best Country Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Beyoncé talked about the country music genre during her acceptance speech, and she also thanked all of the country artists who joined her on the record – including country legends Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. 8 Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' won both Best Country Album and Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Andrew White via PictureGroup/Shutterstock 'Wow, I really was not expecting this,' the 'Blackbird' singer began back in February. 'Wow! I want to thank God. Oh my God! That I am able to still do what I love after so many years.' 'I'd like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album. We worked so hard on it,' she continued. 'I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they're passionate about and stay persistent.' 'Cowboy Carter' also went on to win Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. 8 The 'A Cigarette' singer was arrested in Tennessee for reckless driving and violation of open container laws on May 21. WILSON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE The Post has reached out to Beyoncé's rep for comment. Meanwhile, Adcock's remarks over the weekend and Monday also came just a few weeks after the young country music star was arrested in Tennessee for reckless driving and violation of open container laws on May 21. The 'Deep End' singer's mugshot, which was obtained by The Post shortly after his arrest, showed Adcock giving a huge smile despite his newfound legal trouble.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Drag Race's Naysha Lopez claps back at Violet Chachki & Gottmik's Roscoe's shade
for The London Edition;(L-R) Violet Chachki and Gottmik at an intimate Pride dinner at The London Edition's Penthouse in support of the Pink Noise Foundation in London, England; Naysha Lopez at the grand premiere event of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 8 in New York City. RuPaul's Drag Race superstars Violet Chachki and Gottmik released a spicy new episode of No Gorge, their joint podcast, on Thursday, June 26. While the two drag artists explore various topics on this new episode, certain negative remarks from the episode are making the rounds within the Drag Race fandom and queendom. For instance, this new No Gorge episode features Violet bringing up different tangents related to her season 7 costars like Trixie Mattel, Katya, and Ginger Minj. Meanwhile, Gottmik gets candid about her Snatch Game-winning impersonation of Paris Hilton. There's also a surprising (and random) mention of Roscoe's Tavern — a prominent queer venue in Chicago that's been a staple of the LGBTQ+ community since 1987 — that comes up in the No Gorge episode. After catching wind of the comments made by Violet and Gottmik about Roscoe's, Naysha Lopez made space in the All Stars 10 episode 9 viewing party live-stream to defend the venue and clap back at the comments made on No Gorge. Here's our full breakdown and timeline explaining this new drama. New episodes of are released every Friday on . Quotes always make more sense when they're presented with some context, so let's unpack the polarizing quotes from Violet and Gottmik in their latest episode of No Gorge — which was titled "We Have an Announcement… and We're Losing Our Minds." It all starts with Gottmik warning fans that the Snatch Game-winning impersonation of Paris Hilton will be sunsetting in the near future. "We're filming this pod and then I'm going to the airport. I'm going to be Paris Hilton for a month," Gottmik says on No Gorge. "You guys, this is the last time. I cannot do this anymore. That was years ago." For context, Gottmik is referencing the Snatch Game Live on Tour by ITD Events, which starts this Wednesday, July 2 at the Llewellyn Hall in Australia. The tour will also feature Drag Race stars like Hannah Conda (as Liza Minnelli), Jimbo (as Shirley Temple), Jujubee (as Eartha Kitt), Pythia (as Zeus), Tia Kofi (as Anne Boleyn), and Trinity The Tuck (as Caitlyn Jenner). Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson will be hosting the event. "I literally texted our manager today and I was like, 'What the fuck Rick and Morty-ass timeline happened that I'm a professional Paris Hilton impersonator?'" Gottmik notes, jokingly. "That is so embarrassing." Violet replies, "The Drag Race thing, I fear, is going to haunt us for the rest of our lives." Paramount+/ Ginger Minj in promo image for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10; art made by Violet explains, "I got my haircut today…That's like my one little self-care thing. [But] it's June. I'm ran through. It's Pride Month, so I got to do my self-care moment…My barber's like, 'So have you been watching the latest season?' And I'm like… [Violet makes a face]." The Drag Race season 7 winner clarifies, "I love my barber. He's a gay bear. But…it's been 11 fucking years [since season 7], and because there's drama going on now on the show—" "What is the drama?" Gottmik asks. Violet says, "The drama is about Ginger [Minj]. I can't even… I'm so annoyed." "I saw," Gottmik replies. "Vanjie actually sent me a clip of it the other day, and I was so scared because I was like, 'Why did she send that to me?' Because she never sends me Drag Race stuff. I was like, 'Oh my god, am I like mentioned? Was Denali going off on Roscoe's or something?'" - YouTube After realizing that the clip from Roscoe's Tavern has nothing to do with either of the No Gorge cohosts, Violet starts discussing Roscoe's itself. "Girl, Roscoe's is like…" Violet starts, laughing. "I can't, I can't, I can't," she adds. While Gottmik appears to be avoiding that conversation, the season 13 finalist and All Stars 9 contestant circles back to that discourse right away. "I mean, that actually needs to be studied," Mik observes. "Some of these girls are ready to risk it all—" "Risk it all to sit on a fucking patio chair at some fucking bar," Violet argues. The No Gorge cohosts speak over each other during the next few seconds, but Violet alleges that queens accept these invitations even though "the bar is monetizing boots" on the tea they're spilling through the Roscoe's viewing parties live-streams. Gottmik adds, "And doesn't pay them to monetize…It's wild." Violet repeats, "The bar is monetizing boots on y'all basically spilling the tea. Get a podcast, girl. Why are you letting them monetize all the tea?" "No, it's so crazy to me," Gottmik comments. "Stop doing that," Violet adds. Gottmik circles back to the argument that queens "are ready to risk it all" by taking these viewing party gigs at Roscoe's. "Literally stop risking your careers for Roscoe's," the season 13 star declares before bursting out laughing. "Stop risking your careers for Roscoe's," Violet agrees. "We should make t-shirts." They both laugh again. Logo TV RuPaul's Drag Race season 7 winner Violet Chachki. Violet rationalizes that she's "catching strays" from All Stars 10 because her social media algorithm is showing her "Drag Race stuff about Ginger." Violet continues, "And people are basically tagging me — or I'm seeing stuff — saying that I shouldn't have won [season 7] 10 or 11 years ago, and that she [Ginger] should've won." Even though Violet seems annoyed by the algorithm showing her more "Drag Race stuff," Gottmik hilariously interrupts Violet to ask if Ginger was on her original season. (And yes, she was. That season's top 3 finale was between Ginger Minj, Pearl, and Violet Chachki. In the end, Violet was crowned America's Next Drag Superstar.) "And now people think Ginger should've have won your season?" Gottmik asks. Violet replies," Yes, instead of being on Drag Race 17 times." Gottmik asks "who else" was in the top 3 of season 7. Violet reminds Gottmik that it was Pearl, and they briefly reference the "Is there something on my face?" moment between Pearl and RuPaul in the Werk Room. "Also, Trixie and Katya are doing a Ru-watch of season 7," Violet brings up. "They wanted me to [be a part of it]." However, the crowned queen of season 7 explains why she feels that the invitation from Trixie and Katya was "so weird." "They had their assistant send me a DM asking me if I would send them a voice [recording]," Violet says. "It was like, 'What the fuck?' You guys, call me. You have my fucking phone." Violet adds, "Having your assistant reach out when you're friends with somebody is so like… 'Who do you think you are, girl?' Text me!" "No, they do it all the time," Gottmik responds. "I think they're probably forced, against their will." Violet says, "It's so weird. I would never have my assistant or producer reach out to someone I consider a friend. It's so weird. Anyways…" This portion of the No Gorge episode ends with Violet complaining that she "cannot escape" the ongoing Drag Race discourse. She muses, "Am I going to be like 50 fucking years old, and will I have to get plastic surgery to change how I look, [because] I just want to get my haircut?" Toward the end of this Roscoe's Tavern viewing party covering All Stars 10 episode 9 — which featured Alyssa Hunter and Kween Kong as special guests and took place just one day after this latest episode of No Gorge was released on YouTube — Naysha Lopez declares that she's been given "the green light to express my mind." "All jokes aside, I've been calling them Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and I can really go in…[But] I won't do that. I'm talking about Violet and Gottmik, two of the nicest queens from RuPaul's Drag Race," Naysha starts. "They have a podcast. They do a thing. Blah blah blah, whatever. And they were saying that they don't understand why queens risk their entire careers and come on Roscoe's and, you know, give the tea, and this and that, and blah blah blah." The former Miss Continental winner and All Stars 8 star continues, "Two things: When they come here… First off, this is one of the best places you could ever work. Ever. Every single queen that works here is treated like the queen that they are. The implication that they're coming here and we're just making money off them… Baby, every single one of these people up here is getting a check. Every single person is getting paid." "For someone to say, 'Why would you risk your career giving the tea?'" Naysha adds. "Correct me if I'm wrong on the numbers, but I'm gonna say about 90, 95 percent of the girls that have ever been on Drag Race come through this stage, and not one career has been ruined. Not one. And this goes for every single person that says I talk too much… Because yes, I do." Alyssa Hunter & Kween Kong - Roscoe's RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Viewing Party! (VIP Edition) Naysha goes on, "But if you notice, whenever I interject or start talking about something, it's because they… [Naysha points to Alyssa and Kween to illustrate the point that queens starring in ongoing seasons are likely limited within the scope of what they can and cannot say.] When we have girls up there, I tell them what they can't say, and how they should word it: Their opinions, their feelings." "I've been on the show. I've read the contract. I know what you can and cannot do," she argues. "We're aware of it. You are not at risk for losing your career. On the contrary, we're giving you a platform to be yourself, to tell your side. And if the show did not highlight who you are as a person, I'm glad that for 2 hours and 30 minutes, you can do it right here." As the audience claps, cohost Batty Davis says that many queens have gotten redemption from the fandom by appearing on Roscoe's. "No one is here because they're forced to," Naysha points out. "Every single girl from that last season, it has now become, 'I got on Drag Race. When do I go to Roscoe's?' It's a thing." "No disrespect to Violet and her little minion… At all," Naysha concludes. "But when you're gonna say little things like this: Mean what you say, and say what you mean. Don't imply, because that's just lying." "And not to mention… Have we had them on this stage?" Naysha asks. Batty responds that yes, they have. Naysha adds, "Yes, we have. They've been through Roscoe's. They know what's up." - YouTube Violet and Gottmik were featured in a Roscoe's Tavern viewing party live-stream from May 28, 2022. That evening, cohosts Naysha and Batty, along with special guests Violet and Gottmik, watched episode 3 of All Stars 7, a.k.a. the all-winners season. Within the first 15 minutes of the live-stream, Naysha pointedly asked Violet and Gottmik about the response they had been receiving from fans as the two special cohosts of Fashion Photo RuView for the all-winners season of Drag Race. In case you don't remember: From the very first episode of that Fashion Photo RuView season, Violet and Gottmik received tons of scrutiny for negatively critiquing certain outfits worn by fan-favorite contestants. The fan response was particularly intense when Violet shared negative opinions about a look from Raja. On that particular Roscoe's viewing party live-stream, Violet and Gottmik got to speak their minds and share their side of the story even though they had already launched their joint No Gorge podcast at the time. Nonetheless, their statements at Roscoe's made the rounds on social media and helped diffuse the incredibly unfair — but very intense — wave of negativity they had been receiving for just expressing their opinions on runway looks. Editor's note: As of this writing, none of the queens mentioned in this story have shared additional comments about this situation. drops new episodes every Friday on . - YouTube This article originally appeared on Out: 'Drag Race's Naysha Lopez claps back at Violet Chachki & Gottmik's Roscoe's shade
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
P Diddy trial recap: Jury begins deliberations, warns one juror may not follow instructions
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. Sean "Diddy" Combs' fate is in the hands of 12 jurors as they deliberate a verdict in the embattled hip-hop mogul's criminal trial. The jury, which has heard graphic testimony on Combs' alleged abuses from more than 30 witnesses, gathered again in Manhattan court on June 30 to begin deliberations following the completion of closing arguments. One strange moment surprised court watchers in the afternoon: the jury sent a note to Judge Arun Subramanian saying they were concerned a juror wouldn't follow the pivotal instructions they were given at the start of their process. The judge sent the jury back to work and didn't replace the juror with an alternate. It wasn't immediately clear if the moment was a speed bump in deliberations – or a sign of more issues to come. Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo on June 27 framed the case as a "tale of two trials." He argued the case is about love, jealousy and money, not trafficking or racketeering. He accused the government of putting on a show to target a wealthy celebrity. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges Agnifilo claimed prosecutors distorted the Grammy-winning rapper's consensual sexual "lifestyle" into criminal acts while witnesses spoke of the "successful Black entrepreneur" as a respected and generous figure. Meanwhile, prosecutor Maurene Comey returned to the floor after Agnifilo's closing argument to present the government's rebuttal, focusing on previous remarks on Combs' former girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine: "Mr. Agnifilo suggested Cassie was the winner of a prize. Black eyes? A gash in her head? Getting urinated in her mouth? How could anyone think that's a prize? That's ridiculous." Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Jurors ask question about drug accusation, wrap up first day of deliberations As jury deliberations continued into the afternoon, jurors sent a question to the judge about how they should assess the drug distribution allegation against Combs. Subramanian will get an answer to the jurors in the morning, as they adjourned for the day and returned to their homes. Diddy's star-studded trial: The celebrities mentioned in court Before his precipitous downfall, Combs was a pop-culture supernova with innumerable stars in his orbit. Throughout nearly two months of testimony, attorneys and witnesses alike have name-checked several celebrities as they've excavated nearly two decades of Combs' apparent criminal past. They've recounted nights of partying with Prince, Stevie Wonder and Muhammad Ali, some of which ended in Combs allegedly assaulting his girlfriends or forcing them into "freak offs" with escorts. Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross were referenced in court, as defense tried to illustrate the powerful connections that Combs helped afford to Ventura Fine. Michael B. Jordan, 50 Cent and Suge Knight were all subjects of Combs' ire, while Usher and Danity Kane's Dawn Richard were both on the sidelines of allegedly violent incidents. You can read more here about some of the most notable A-listers to find their way into the Diddy trial. Jury says one juror may not be able to follow instructions The jury asked Subramanian for guidance about one juror who they warned may not be able to follow the judge's instructions about the law. Their note, which Subramanian read aloud in open court, read in part, "We have a juror, number 25, who we are concerned cannot follow your honor's instructions." The note did not elaborate on which instructions the juror potentially cannot follow. The jurors are anonymous. After discussing the note with prosecutors and defense lawyers, Subramanian said he would send a note back to the jury reminding them of their obligations but take no further action for now. Juror number 25 described himself during jury selection on May 5 as a 51-year-old veterinarian who lives in Manhattan with his domestic partner, a freelance graphic designer. The juror said he has a doctorate in molecular biology and neuroscience, and enjoys nature documentaries, opera and hiking. Could Diddy go to prison? Yes. If convicted on the racketeering charge, Combs could face life in prison, while the statutory minimum sentence for sex trafficking is 15 years and for transportation to engage in prostitution is a maximum of 10 years. A mixed verdict – convicted on some, but not all charges – could add up to any number of years. Judge in Diddy case outlines racketeering The longest section of instructions given to jurors centered around Combs' first charge: racketeering. Subramanian went through the eight accusations included in the charge, which fall under the umbrella of kidnapping, arson, bribery, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, sex trafficking, witness tampering, forced labor and transportation for the purpose of prostitution. In order to find Combs guilty, the jury must believe he committed two of the eight crimes, Subramanian said. Judge explains sex trafficking, prostitution charges For Combs' sex trafficking charge, Subramanian said the jury would need to find that there was a threat of psychological, financial or reputational harm against the rapper's alleged victims. The judge defined a commercial sex act as something given in exchange for the sexual act. That doesn't always have to be money, he clarified. It can be an object or a thing. The sex act also doesn't need to have actually happened, as long as the intent was clear and there was an exchange of money or other perks. Diddy stares down jurors as they receive instructions Combs' sex-crimes trial is now in the hands of 12 jurors as they kick off their deliberations. There is no timeframe for their process, and any verdict must be unanimous. "You can see it's long, but I'm going to try to make it interesting while I'm reading it," Subramanian said before launching into instructions for the panel. He explained that if they believe Combs is guilty of his charges, it must be beyond a reasonable doubt. Combs could be seen putting on glasses and looking directly at the jury box as they received instructions. He leaned back in his chair, legs crossed. Combs' family was seated in the front row, and his daughters could be seen whispering to each other. After marathon Diddy trial, judge thanks jurors and lawyers Before the jury started deliberations, Subramanian dismissed the six alternate jurors who have attended the trial daily, just in case a juror had to bow out or be removed from the proceedings. The judge thanked the alternate jurors, adding that they would get his personal phone number "if you have any questions, if you would like a tour of the courthouse, anything I can do." Subramanian also thanked attorneys on both sides. "The case was really exceptionally tried," he said, thanking both the prosecutorial and defense teams for letting younger lawyers take on substantial parts of the case. "It's vital to the profession," he said. While the jury deliberates, Combs will remain in jail. He had a request for books he could bring with him, though the specific works weren't released publicly. Diddy trial jury can't watch news, research case online Subramanian reiterated that jurors cannot conduct any independent research, including going online or watching the news while they're deliberating. The jurors should not judge Combs for deciding not to testify, he added. "Remember at all times you are not partisans, you are judges of the fact," Subramanian said. The jury was dismissed to deliberate at 11:30 a.m. There was a brief objection from prosecutors about evidence provided to the jury, specifically some Blackberry messages that they said had leading subject lines. That included one that read "I'm so horny, I can't concentrate" and others about Combs doing whatever he wanted sexually. The judge agreed that all the subject lines in the evidence should be neutral. What happens next? Subramanian began delivering legal instructions to the jury in Manhattan federal court on June 30. Once the judge finishes, the 12-member jury will begin deliberating. What is Diddy's net worth? Still wealthy, but now worth almost half as much: Forbes In 2024, Forbes magazine estimated Combs' net worth at $400 million – a significant drop from its 2019 figure of $740 million. Both Combs and his team later claimed he was a billionaire, Forbes said, despite offering no documentation to back up the claim. According to publicly available documents and news reports, Combs' most valuable personal possession is likely his 17,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom mansion, appraised at more than $61 million, in the tony Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles. It was raided as part of a criminal probe and listed for sale last September. Diddy's lawyer encourages jurors to 'return' him 'to his family' Appealing to jurors as Combs' "peers" and praising the country's due process, Agnifilo told the jury on June 27: "Today, you guys are the United States of America. This is your house. I'm asking you to acquit Sean Combs." He added that Combs "sits there innocent. Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him." He took aim again at U.S. attorneys when he said, "The Cassie lawsuit went out, and these guys wanted to make a case because of Sean Combs. It's not a real case." Prosecutors say Diddy's exes Cassie and 'Jane,' former assistant 'Mia' have 'no reason to lie' Contradicting Agnifilo during the June 27 hearing, Comey said participation in Combs' alleged sexual performances was different from preferences for the beach or lemonade: These women were awake for days, covered in oil, wearing 8-inch heels, often with a UTI and having unprotected sex with strangers, she said. "What the defense is suggesting is that these women lied to you repeatedly," Comey said. "But these women have no reason to lie. They have no motive to lie at all." Comey also talked about the confusing feelings about untangling love and abuse, noting victims will often try to justify what happened to them. "Finding meaning and happiness in trauma does not mean the trauma never happened," Comey said. "It's healing." Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more Did Diddy's trial charges get dropped? No, none of the charges from Combs' federal indictment have been formally dropped. But in a June 24 letter to Judge Subramanian, prosecutors revealed they were withdrawing some of their criminal allegations ahead of closing arguments. U.S. attorneys said they don't want jurors to consider their previous claims that Combs allegedly engaged in racketeering by attempting kidnapping in California and New York, attempting arson in California, and aiding and abetting sex trafficking. The move was made as part of an effort to "streamline" jury instructions. Despite the tossed allegations, Combs' indictment accused him not just of attempting arson and kidnapping, but also of committing these crimes outright as part of a criminal conspiracy. Is Diddy in jail? The disgraced music mogul is in custody, and despite repeated attempts at bail, has remained confined to the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. He has been in jail since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024. Has Diddy trial reached a verdict? No, a verdict has not yet been reached in Combs' criminal case. After more than a month of harrowing testimony from several of Combs' associates, the prosecution rested its case on June 24. Meanwhile, Combs' lawyers rested their case in less than half an hour, with the defense opting not to call any witnesses to the stand. Although the music mogul's alleged abuse is at the center of the trial, Combs told the court he would not be testifying. Closing arguments concluded June 27. Jury deliberations are expected to begin Monday, June 30, following instructions from Judge Subramanian. What is Diddy charged with? Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him. What is racketeering? Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity. Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have on video. How to stream the Diddy trial The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings. USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates. Contributing: USA TODAY staff, Reuters If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788.
