Rosie O’Donnell compared former neighbor Sean “Diddy” Combs to convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein as more details of the rapper’s “disturbing” private life come to light.
Following news of Combs’ arrest, O’Donnell revealed on TikTok that she used to live next to the rapper in Miami and even scored an invite to one of his famous White Parties — despite only meeting him “once.”
However, the comedian, 62, said she and her kids showed up in “sweatpants” and were turned away at the door.
“Well the next day, he called and he felt so bad that he rented out the Regal Cinema for me and my family to see any movie we wanted the entire day — in any theater whenever we wanted,” she revealed.
The former talk show host called Comb’s offer “so unbelievably over the top and extraordinary.”
Despite never talking to the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper again, O’Donnell said the contrast between his kind gesture and his alleged heinous crimes caught her off guard.
“I’m just kind of in shock,” she said. “And I know there is perhaps a naïveté to me in some way but how could a person live knowing that they had done that and then be a public person and continue to do it?”
She continued, “Didn’t he feel the footsteps of the law behind him at all time? Or do you just get to be so big like Harvey Weinstein did that he thought, ‘Well I control Hollywood. I control the Oscars. I can sleep with any actress I want whether they want to or not.’”
O’Donnell then questioned how Diddy didn’t “consider [himself] a rapist” despite allegedly “participating in or filming or watching the rape,” as per his indictment.
“It’s very disturbing,” she said. “And then you start to think, how many people really knew about it?”
Prior to the #MeToo movement, O’Donnell admitted she never would have believed Weinstein was a “rapist” due to his standing in the film industry despite his reputation as someone “that tried to have sex with all the pretty actresses.”
“I would have said, ‘No! He runs Miramax. You think he could also be a rapist? What is he? Clark Kent? He gets in a cape and he is someone different,’” O’Donnell, who worked with Weinstein on “Wide Awake,” recalled.
“‘Like give me a break too many people know him. Too many people would be involved. Too many people would have to participate in that in order for it to be true!’”
Although O’Donnell never thought a coverup of that caliber could happen, it did — and she believes it’s happening again with Diddy.
“It’s very upsetting. Sex trafficking? That’s serious, man,” she continued. “And then they found 1,000 bottles of baby oil. I’m gonna be thinking about that the rest of my life.”
“It’s very unnerving and very disturbing,” she concluded.
Weinstein has been accused by over 85 women of inappropriate criminal sexual behavior and is serving time behind bars for forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration.
Although he is awaiting a retrial for his landmark #MeToo case, the disgraced filmmaker is also facing new sex crime charges.
The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper, for his part, was arrested last week for racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution.
In the 14-page unsealed indictment, authorities alleged that he “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct” for decades.
Feds allege that he created “a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in … sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
Per the indictment, Combs and his entourage hosted “Freak Offs” — drug-filled sex parties with “commercial sex workers” held at hotels.
During the bacchanals, Combs allegedly “subjected victims to physical, emotional, and verbal abuse.”
The jailed music mogul allegedly “hit, kicked, threw objects at, and dragged victims, at times, by their hair” and would threaten “victims’ careers and livelihoods” if they refused to partake in the Freak Offs.
“Combs also used the sensitive, embarrassing, and incriminating recordings that he made during Freak Offs as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” the indictment read.
Combs, who pleaded not guilty, faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars if convicted.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.