Sean 'Diddy' Combs accusations are appalling. But sadly, not surprising. | Opinion
Far too often the entertainers we allow into our homes via the airwaves and through streaming services are abusers and criminals.
Like most teenagers, my children enjoy music and movies, and with streaming apps like Netflix and Spotify, Gen Z has access to entertainment choices that my generation would have loved.
But there's a downside. Rarely do kids see the depravity lurking below the surface in the entertainment industry. Every now and then, however, we get a glimpse. The Sean "Diddy" Combs trial is one such peek at what lies beneath the flashiest industry in the world.
After all the sex and drug abuse scandals that have rocked the business of movies, TV and music, somehow the industry continues to march onward with impunity, targeting our kids' innocence and monopolizing their time. The entertainment world continues to peddle "stars" who we wouldn't want to see living next door.
Diddy accusations of sex trafficking, sexual assault are appalling
Combs' trial is a sobering reminder of the truth in the old saying, "All that glitters is not gold." A three-time Grammy Award winner whose music company has sold more than 500 million records, Combs now faces more than 70 lawsuits along with federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges. The accusations of sexual assault and abuse against Combs are especially heinous.
Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, built considerable wealth and influence as a music and entertainment mogul. In 2024, Forbes magazine estimated Combs' net worth at $400 million. And he made that money entertaining our children.
I'm shocked at the seriousness of the charges against Combs, but I'm not really surprised. Allegations of sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry are appallingly common.
Entertainment industry targets our children
Consumers shower entertainers with billions of dollars to create engaging music, TV and movies. But far too often, the entertainers we allow into our homes via the airwaves and through streaming services are abusers and criminals.
Hollywood, which has given us the likes of Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and R. Kelly, has enormous influence in our culture, in our politics and in our homes. I wrote in a December column that entertaining kids is an especially lucrative aspect of the industry. But with people like Combs creating the hits that enthrall millions, why are we letting them influence our children? As parents, we must be vigilant.
Hollywood also must take responsibility for the actors, musicians and others who the industry hires, packages and promotes to our kids. Sean Combs is far from the first star who has crashed, gouging a crater of pain and anger for those who once believed in their talent.
Sadly, neither will he be the last.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with Paste BN. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.