‘SNL’ Jokes About Diddy’s Arrest During ‘Weekend Update’

Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update took aim at Sean “Diddy” Combs this week as the rapper and music mogul faces federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges amid numerous allegations of sexual assault and abuse. Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost referenced Combs’ legal troubles during the Oct. 5 episode while reporting on the 254,000 new jobs added in the U.S. in September.

“It was reported that the U.S. added [254,000] new jobs. Unfortunately, they were all ‘Diddy Accuser,’” said Che. He continued that Combs’ sex trafficking case had been assigned to a new judge “that Diddy hopes is cool with rapes.”

Jost chimed in, “It was reported that Diddy once invited Prince Harry and Prince William to one of his parties, but they did not go.” Referencing another royal family member’s involvement with disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Jost continued, “Before Diddy could finish writing the invite, Prince Andrew was there.”

Combs is facing 15 years to life in prison after being arrested on federal charges that included sex trafficking, forced labor, coercion to engage in prostitution and narcotics distribution on Sept. 17. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges facing him and continues to deny any allegations of wrongdoing. The music mogul’s request to overturn a ruling that denied him release on bail has been denied, and he will remain detained until his trial.

Combs is also facing numerous civil lawsuits from more than 120 accusers who are bringing allegations of violent sexual assault or rape, facilitated sex with a controlled substance, dissemination of video recordings and sexual abuse of minors against him. The cases are being brought by 60 men and 60 women and include incidents going as far back as 1991.Twenty-five of the accusers were minors when they were allegedly assaulted by Combs, with the youngest accuser being 9 years old at the time of the alleged incident.

Last year, Combs settled a lawsuit out of court with ex Cassie Ventura, who filed a lawsuit in November alleging a decade of physical and sexual abuse. In May, a 2016 surveillance video was leaked showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura. Other accusers, including Liza Gardner, Joi Dickerson-Neal and Crystal McKinney, have come forward with similar allegations against Combs after Ventura’s case was settled, with the rapper claiming the allegations are false and financially motivated.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.