50 Cent has mocked his rapper rival Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs after prosecution and Cassie Ventura gave evidence against the Bad Boy Records founder in his court case in lower Manhattan
Diddy and 50 Cent(Image: WireImage)
Rapper 50 Cent couldn’t help but take yet another jibe at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs following the latest events in court.
Combs, 55, is in the lower Manhattan courthouse facing charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September.
He vehemently denies all allegations of wrongdoing against him, including those alleged in civil lawsuits. He has been in prison since his arrest, with a number of bail requests rejected.
Now, after Combs’ ex Cassie Ventura testified against the rapper, his rival 50 Cent – real name Curtis Jackson – has mocked him. Among Ventura’s shocking allegations was a claim that during one “freak off,” a blow-up baby pool was filled with baby oil that Combs told Ventura to get into.
Diddy denies all allegations against him(Image: Getty Images)
There were also alleged texts between the pair that were shown to the jury.
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Jackson took to social media to take aim at Combs. On Instagram, he said: “Down on your luck, not feeling good today? Well look at the bright side you could be Diddy.”
He had earlier shared a a screenshot of a headline referencing the inflatable pool. Jackson followed it up by sharing two AI-generated images of Combs in a pool of baby oil and wrote: “Damn he did all that s*** to go out like this, SMH This s*** crazier then regular crazy.”
It’s far from the first time Jackson has hit out at his fellow musician since the accusations were first made. Just days earlier, the Candy Shop rapper commented on something the prosecution said in their opening statement on Monday, May 12.
They claim that in one instance, Combs forced an escort to pee in Ventura’s mouth. After the prosecution’s claim became public Jackson shared a photo of a cherub fountain statue that appeared to be peeing on his Instagram.
He captioned his upload, “Diddy said in ya mouth! SMH LOL.”
50 Cent mocked Diddy on social media(Image: instagram/@50cent)
Combs and Jackson have had an ongoing feud which has lasted almost two decades. The bitter feud first began in the early 2000s, and their row, which has spanned more than two decades, came to light bigger than ever after Combs’ arrest.
The row between the two rappers first kicked off with the release of 50 Cent’s track ‘The Bomb’. The tune seemingly alludes to Combs having knowledge about the 1997 murder of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G.
The Baby By Me hitmaker has never shown proof or evidence of his rival’s alleged knowledge of the iconic rapper’s murder. Rather, Combs has continued to vehemently deny knowing any information about Notorious’ tragic death.
As he prepares to tour the UK, the music icon exclusively speaks to The Mirror about never wanting to retire, being the ‘nicest man in showbiz’ and winning over his new granddaughter
The singer says his UK audiences are ‘out of control’ – and he loves it(Image: Getty Images)
Out of control ruffians are not the kind of fans most of us would expect to see at Lionel Richie concerts, but that’s how the Oscar winning star describes his UK audience. Also boasting a Golden Globe and several Grammy Awards, not to mention a mere 125 million albums sold worldwide, Lionel says that, at 75, it is these colourful characters who continue to inspire him.
Due to celebrate his 76th birthday on tour on June 20, the still spritely star loves his fans, who he thanks for his amazing career. He tells The Mirror: “It’s the only salvation you can have in life, when you can actually go out and meet the people who participated in your career. How about that? You get to see the people who bought the records and support you.
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The Hello singer describes going on tour as a ‘vacation’(Image: Getty Images)
“I started out with my generation and now I’ve got the kids, the grandkids, the whole thing. The family shows up on the front row. Really, it’s a celebration. When you start off, you don’t know you have this long in the business and here we are 50-odd years later. That’s amazing.”
Known for hits with the Commodores including Three Times a Lady, solo tracks such as Hello, Dancing on the Ceiling and All Night Long and for a famous duet with Diana Ross – Endless Love, Lionel has really earned the moniker ‘legend’. An acclaimed songwriter, he is also frequently described as the “nicest man in showbiz”.
“I’m a vicious man,” he laughs, sounding like nothing of the sort. “You know what it is? It’s very hard to say something horrible to somebody when they just started off a conversation by saying ‘I love you’. That’s a tough one to come back on with anything other than ‘Thank you’.
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“Very few people in life get a chance to share a love with the world. I must tell you how blessed I feel that when I walk into a room, the room starts smiling. I don’t think I need to get angry over that one.”
The star’s reason for not retiring was born out of his conversation with another legendary performer, the US comedian George Burns, who lived to be 100. “I kept saying to George ‘I’m trying to retire George, but I can’t retire until you retire’,” says Lionel.
“And he told me ‘I’m going to tell you the secret to the business – stay booked. As long as it’s working, as long as you feel great, as long as it becomes an excitement that you love going out and seeing the people, book some more shows’.”
The star affectionately calls his family, including daughter Nicole pictured here, as his ‘tribe’(Image: Getty Images)
And, of his latest tour, he says: “It’s really been a magical ride and I can’t think of anything else that I would be wanting to do for the summer. The joke with all of my life is ‘When are we going on vacation?’ and I say ‘I call that a tour’. So, here we go again – I’m going to have my birthday on tour again.”
With a memoir out in the autumn, a show in Las Vegas and a long-running role as a judge on American Idol, Lionel clearly has no intention of slowing down any time soon. Next up? “I’m certainly not going to be a politician,” he laughs, insisting he never tires of performing his best known hits.
Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, and now residing in California, he adds: “I’m going to tell you the truth and I know this may sound very, very strange – I don’t really perform the songs. I come to the show to watch the audience perform the songs. I don’t really have to do the heavy lifting. It’s a giant night of karaoke.”
Lionel compares his tens of thousands-strong audiences to a Rocky Horror Show performance, in a nod to the Richard O’Brien musical that inspires everyone to dress up in costume. Smiling, he says: “If I could tell you what I see from my best seat in the house, I’ve got people dressed up like Lionel Richie in the ’80s, Lionel Richie in the ’90s, I’ve got wigs and moustaches – you have no idea what I’m looking at. They put on the greatest show year after year.”
And, back to the UK audiences, as he prepares to head to arenas across the country, with the first date in Belfast on May 31, he adds: “They’re out of control. These are out of control ruffians. I think they’re enjoying their performance more than mine from what I can see.
“Every year they keep bringing back the family. It’s hen’s night, you don’t know who or what is going to show up in front of you, but it’s a party and it’s a lot of fun.” With a multi-generational fanbase boosted by his US talent show role, he adds: “Now that I’m on American Idol, I’ve got 9 to 12 year old fans and I’m not Mr Richie, I’m Lionel. ‘Oh my god Mom, Dad, there’s Lionel’.”
Lionel and his partner Lisa Parigi with two of his children, Sofia and Miles (Image: Getty Images for Rolla’s)
The star has his own “tribe” back home too, with children Nicole, Miles and Sofia Richie and three grandkids – Nicole’s teenagers Harlow and Sparrow – and Sofia’s baby Eloise, who will turn one on May 20. “Somewhere along the line God gives you this tribe of people, my kids Sofie, Nicole, Miles,” he says. “You think you’re doing some really powerful stuff and they come to you one day and say ‘Dad, make sure you don’t do anything to embarrass us’.
“Now Sofie has her kid and now I’ve got this newbie Eloise – she doesn’t know who the heck I am. I’ve got to start all over again trying to show Eloise who Pop Pop is. I love the tribe, I love the family growing and thank god I have a place to get away from the tribe some days. Pop Pop has a place to go, it’s called on tour, I hang out on the road for a minute and I get to live the life I’ve always had.”
Married twice before, first to college sweetheart Brenda Harvey and later to actress Diane Alexander, Lionel has been in a third long-running relationship with model and entrepreneur Lisa Parigi, who is in her mid-30s, since 2014. “That’s certainly on the… not to give you the highlight but I won’t rule that out,” he says intriguingly of marrying for a third time. “As I say to all my friends: ‘Stay tuned’.”
And if a third nuptials is on the cards, Lionel has many famous friends who might get an invite, including fellow musician Stevie Wonder. There could even be an invitation pinging its way to Buckingham Palace, for King Charles III is another pal.
“We’ve known each other for a very long time,” says Lionel, who has been involved with the monarch’s passion project The King’s Trust – formerly The Prince’s Trust – since the mid 1980s. “You never really think, with all of his friends and all of his history, you always think he knows a lot of people, but I must tell you I was deeply honoured when I got the Coronation invitation. Wow!
The star says King Charles III has a great sense of humour (Image: Getty Images)
“Then it became quite evident that he wants to spend time together. We were invited to private moments and I must tell you I enjoyed every minute of it. He has a great sense of humour.
“Now that he’s King he’s got a lot of responsibility on his shoulder, but in his private time he has a great sense of humour. We get along quite well and I am proud to call him my friend.”
Fame comes at a price for any instantly recognisable celebrity, but it seems to be one the easygoing star is happy to accept. “If I want to go someplace and sit down by the pool and relax, that’s not gonna happen,” he says.
“I’ve now become a citizen of the world, so wherever I am, I am a part of whatever family’s close to me. I’ve been recognisable for so long, I’ve gotten used to people just starting talking to me. I’m hanging out at a family reunion, people know me and they start telling me how the songs involve their family.”
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And when he does want to switch off, Lionel turns to nature. “I like gardening,” says the star, who recently created a public space, Hello Park, close to his childhood home in Alabama. “I like hedges, I like stuff.
“So I’m always planting new stuff on the grounds. My real chillout is out in the woods, creating the next garden. I just like to build things that grow. It’s fascinating to me.”
Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot has opened up about his unexpected transition from the screen to the political stage, crediting former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole for introducing him to President Bola Tinubu and laying the groundwork for his political career.
The Lagos State House of Assembly member representing the Surulere Constituency spoke in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.
Describing his early political connections, the 51-year-old actor recalled how Adams Oshiomhole invited him to meet Tinubu in Benin.
“One certain day, Oshiomhole told me—Comrade Senator—that Asiwaju (Tinubu) was coming to Benin. I think the next week or two weeks later, he asked me to come, to which I did. As Asiwaju came, I was on the table, and I was in awe seeing great personalities.
“Adams stood up, asked me to come, took me to Asiwaju on that table and said, ‘This is my son.’ He said, ‘Yeah, he knows me; he knows me.’ And he said, ‘He’s interested. This is my son.’ Asiwaju says, ‘Okay,’ now links me up with Sunday Dare, who then was his PA, because you can’t meet Asiwaju all the time,” he stated.
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Elliot recalled how Tinubu took a liking to him early on, expressing surprise that a young actor like him would be so interested in politics.
“And I’ll tell you one of the remarkable things that happened. One day, we went to visit Asiwaju. And then, the man just, for some reason, loved me. I don’t know, maybe because he just thought, ‘This young boy who is having a career, what is this boy coming to look for here? But I was always talking with Uncle Sunday: ‘Oh, I want to see Daddy. I want to see Asiwaju.”
He recounted a memorable visit to Tinubu’s home with fellow actors during an election period when Tinubu was no longer running.
“And then one Sunday—it was one of these elections a long time ago—he wasn’t running. We went to see one of the aspirants—myself, Jide Kosoko, Mike Ezuruonye, and Chinedu ‘Aki’ Ikediezie —just like, you know, this particular aspirant was coming to see. And then we talked, and Uncle Jide just said, ‘You know what, let’s go to Asiwaju’s house.’ Then he was the former governor.
“We’ll just go to his house like that. You won’t believe me—we got there like seven. We didn’t leave there till after midnight. He was talking to us like we just woke up in the morning and said, ‘Daddy, good morning, we are going out.’
“We, the actors, were just sitting there, and we were gisting with him, talking with him. Certain things happened in his government—he told us what he did to make certain things move. When we came out, Uncle Jide Kosoko was saying, ‘I said so; I told you guys. ‘You see, you see.’ I was so excited.”
‘Drifting To Politics’
Long before stepping into politics, Desmond Elliot said his passion for public service had been ignited in the 1990s, inspired by the late Chief MKO Abiola.
“In the mid-90s, when I started reading about MKO Abiola—Gospel truth—I became fascinated. I became very interested,” he said. “I didn’t have much money, but there’s this newspaper they used to sell in those days. I would read about this guy. I would read his story. I got so encouraged, and something kept pricking my heart, you know, that this is where you’re supposed to go through.
“In my heart, I’ve always known that everything I would do, I would have to walk with God on it. So one time I was praying, like, ‘God, okay, what of my life? What am I going to do?’ And he says, ‘No, just look at it one day at a time.’ As every day comes, everything begins to unravel, and you begin to understand,” the actor stated.
He credited APC chieftain Fouad Oki for mentoring him politically, even while he was still focused on his acting career.
“Even while acting, I’d visit Uncle Fouad Oki in the evenings to discuss politics. I was learning. My wife didn’t even take me seriously at the time,” he said.
2023 General Elections
On the subject of the highly publicised 2023 election for the Surulere constituency, Elliot addressed his face-off with fellow actor Olumide Oworu, who contested under the Labour Party banner during a time of rising youth political engagement.
“I wasn’t angry at Olumide. He’s a smart, intelligent Surulere guy. It wasn’t about him. I was hurt by colleagues—people I’ve worked with—who endorsed him without even a conversation.”
Elliot argued that political continuity, especially in the legislature, is key to real progress, citing the example of former Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Look at Gbaja. His impact grew term after term. That’s how institutional change works. It’s not just about one election—it’s about building capacity.”
Gender Status
The actor has been making headlines over his gender status, given his unconventional outfit choices.
He, however, in a 2024 viral interview, refuted claims that he was gay. But addressing the clip with Chude, Elliot expressed frustration at how the media spun his response.
“I didn’t even know that question was coming,” he said. “I said for the record, I’m straight. But my pastor later called me and said I shouldn’t have even answered.”
The politician emphasised the importance of staying grounded amid public scrutiny.
Cleaning your patio has never been easier, as shoppers rave about this cordless patio cleaner that makes quick work of moss and weeds – and right now, it’s got £50 off
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Save £50 on cordless patio cleaner that gets rid of ‘moss and weeds in a jiffy’(Image: Amazon)
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Axing its price by 34%, this flash sale is saving shoppers a delightful £50 on the Patio Cleaner, which has been hailed for its quick and efficient cleaning. It even rids patios and decking of algae, lichen, moss, and weeds.
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This RYOBI Patio Cleaner with Scrubbing Brush has 34% off(Image: Amazon)
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While the 18V motor and hard-bristled roller make light work of tough cleaning, scrubbing through moss, weeds and dirt with ease, this cleaner also prioritises your comfort. It comes with a rubber overmould grip, telescopic shaft and adjustable auxiliary handle that promise to improve comfort and control over extended use, meaning no more stuping or over-reaching that may leave you aching after.
This cleaning device normally £143.99, but Amazon has slashed its price to £94.99. You can also buy the same patio cleaner at full price at Ryobi’s online store or a similar model for £185 at B&Q.
Amazon shoppers love this patio cleaner, bestowing plenty of 5-star reviews. One thrilled customer shares: “Brilliant. It does exactly what it says. I have a patio at the rear of my property that continuously gets moss and weeds in the cracks. Every year I use to get down on my hands and knees and painfully remove it. It took for ever and was boring. Now with this little beauty it’s done in a jiffy. Yes, it makes your back and hands ache a little but tell me any manual job that doesn’t !!”
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And a third chimes in: “What an amazing piece of equipment. I suffer with back problems and this little gem has help me unbelievably. Highly recommended.”
The Cannes film festival barred an actor in a prominent French film from the red carpet on Thursday because of sexual assault allegations, unveiling a new policy under pressure from lawmakers and activists.
Theo Navarro-Mussy plays a police officer in a supporting role in the film “Dossier 137” by Dominik Moll, which premiered on Thursday in the festival’s main competition.
According to French magazine Telerama, which broke the news, three former partners accused the actor of rapes in 2018, 2019, and 2020 but the case was dropped last month for lack of evidence.
The three plaintiffs, all actors themselves, told Telerama they planned to appeal and file a civil lawsuit.
Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux confirmed to Telerama that Navarro-Mussy had been excluded from the world’s premier film festival because an appeal was underway.
“The judicial process is still ongoing,” Fremaux was quoted as saying in remarks confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson.
The treatment of Navarro-Mussy, if it becomes the basis of a consistent policy, would imply that any actor or director under active investigation for sexual assault would be excluded.
It would align Cannes with the Cesar Awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, which announced in January 2023 that nominees convicted of or under investigation for sexual assault would be barred.
Navarro-Mussy, 34, who had a breakthrough role in the French medical TV drama “Hippocrate”, denies the allegations but he told Telerama he understood the decision by festival organisers.
He did not join his co-stars including renowned French actor Lea Drucker on Thursday as they made their way up the red carpet to the premiere.
(From L) French actress Mathilde Riu, French actor Stanislas Merhar, French actress Guslagie Malanda, French actor Come Peronnet, French actor Solan Machado-Graner, French actress Sandra Colombo, French film director Dominik Moll, French actress Mathilde Roehrich, French actress Lea Drucker, actor Jonathan Turnbull, French screenwriter Gilles Marchand French actor Theo Costa-Marini and French actor Valentin Campagne arrive for the screening of the film “Dossier 137” at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2025. (Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP)
Inquiry
Elsewhere on Thursday, a vice president of one of the parallel film sections at Cannes was suspended after being publicly denounced for sexual violence during an event.
The executive from the ACID Cannes section has been suspended pending an investigation, the organisation said.
In the past, Fremaux has sought to avoid taking a clear stance on the numerous sexual assault cases that have dogged figures in the film industry, particularly since the #MeToo movement.
He faced criticism from some activists in 2023 over the choice of the film “Jeanne du Barry” to open the festival, which starred Johnny Depp.
The movie marked Depp’s comeback after a toxic court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that revealed his turbulent private life involving alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse allegations.
The #MeToo movement shook the French film industry from 2017, as it did Hollywood, exposing widespread sexual misconduct and challenging a long-standing culture of silence.
A recent French parliamentary inquiry into the entertainment industry, sparked by allegations of sexual abuse by actor Judith Godreche, found that the mistreatment of performers was “endemic”.
Inquiry chair Sandrine Rousseau, an outspoken feminist lawmaker from the Green party, called on the Cannes Festival to set an example when the findings were published last month.
“The Cannes Film Festival must be the place where this shift in mindset happens,” she said.
‘Worried’
Navarro-Mussy said he was “worried” about his career, adding that he hoped the fact the case against him had been closed was “taken into account”.
“I have explained myself to the justice system and at this stage have been cleared,” he told Telerama.
His lawyer said that he had not been notified of any appeal against the decision to close the investigation.
Moll, the director of “Dossier 137”, told AFP he was unaware of the allegations against the actor before starting to work with Navarro-Mussy “and during the film nothing happened”.
Moll’s prize-winning previous film, “The Night of the 12th”, tackled the issue of violence against women.
He said he was “very sensitive to this issue”.
Allegations of rape between partners are among the most difficult to prove, meaning prosecutors rarely take them to court unless there is clear evidence.
French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was handed an 18-month suspended sentence on the opening day of the Cannes film festival this year after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.
Britain’s Got Talent star Amanda Holden, 54, revealed she was wearing a swimsuit and sipping wine for a parents’ evening on Zoom for her child
Amanda Holden did Zoom parents’ evening in swimming costume due to hot weather(Image: ITV)
Amanda Holden revealed she attended a parents’ evening on Zoom wearing a swimming costume while sipping on a glass of wine because of the hot weather. The 54-year-old Britain’s Got Talent star appeared on Good Morning Britain and revealed her child’s teacher said she was “jammy” as they were stuck at school.
“Well, instead of a bikini, I did cover up and wear a swimming costume, can I say,” she confessed. “But it was so hot, and I balanced the iPad here (at her neckline), so they had just this view. But every teacher was like, ‘Oh, you’re so jammy’, because they were all stuck in a stock cupboard somewhere.
Amanda said she did a Zoom parents’ evening in a swimsuit(Image: PA)
“What I didn’t say is that I had a sneaky little rose under my deck chair as well to get through it.” During the conversation, she also discussed her thoughts on the ongoing BGT series.
She said she wanted a group such as the Post Office Choir, a group of people impacted by the Horizon scandal which saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting, to win this year’s edition.
Amanda continued: “You know me, I’m not one for sitting on the fence, and I’ve always said that I would love our Britain’s Got Talent winner this year to be a group of people.
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She recently opened up about the family dynamic(Image: noholdenback/Instagram)
“Because it would be amazing for the money to be divvied out amongst all of them, and for the joy to be spread, and to be at the Royal Variety, I think for a choir or a large group of people, would be amazing.”
Amanda recently opened up about the biggest problem of being a mother and wife to her loving family. The star shares daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13, with her husband Chris Hughes.
The star recently saw her eldest child leave the nest to attend university – but she has been back recently amid a break in the semesters. And while Amanda says she loves to take care of her family and make them dinner each night, the range of culinary requirements can leave her working up a sweat in the kitchen.
Speaking about having to cook individual meals for her family, she said to Hello! magazine: “I try to cook a family meal every night.
“It’s been great recently, because Lexi’s been home from university, so we’ve been back to a family of four. And I’m obviously a vegetarian. Lexi’s practically vegan. Chris and Holly eat meat, so I cook, but I have to make like four different meals.”
She went on to admit she not been the best at teaching her daughters how to cook for themselves. She revealed: “They’re [Hollie and Lexi] getting into the swing of cooking.
“I’ve been a bit rubbish at teaching them how to cook, because I’ve always cooked, but they’re good preppers, and they tidy up after me.”
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