The trial of Sean “P. Diddy” Combs officially begins today, Monday 5, with the rapper – who tried to change the date – charged with several federal offenses and facing up to life in prison. With the legal proceedings now in motion, a number of steps must be taken in preparation of the court case. One of the key tasks involved is the jury selection process, which can vary in complexity based on the specifics of a trial. Now, it’s being reported that this procedure could be quite challenging as it pertains to Combs’ trial.
As is customary with a jury selection, potential jurors have to be vetted and approved by both the defense and the prosecution. This usually involves a judge asking questions that might illuminate any opinions and personal biases an individual may have. Per TMZ, the defense in Diddy’s case could have a “much more difficult” time due to the highly publicized nature of the case. With that, there’s a firm chance that the court may be hard-pressed to find jurors who don’t already have personal takes on it one way or the other.
a host of lawsuits involving alleged sexual assault and violence among other offenses. With all of that in mind, it’s believed that Combs’ legal team will have a tough time finding prospective jurors who aren’t of the thinking that the mogul is guilty. It’s also reported that the publicly released footage of Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura (his ex-girlfriend) could influence jurors’ thoughts, too.
It’s true that Diddy’s alleged actions have collectively been a major topic of discussion for some time now, and that chatter arguably escalated after his arrest in New York back in September 2024. One of the most widely talked about subjects involves the Grammy winner’s Freak Offs, which were parties for which women were weighed and then hired or coerced into performing sexual acts for guests. Diddy also held events called Wild King Nights, which took place in hotels and involved drugs, sex toys and a lot of baby oil.
Aside from the fact that so much information on Puff Daddy’s supposed dealings has been available to the public, there’s also the matter of the legal losses he’s faced. A judge denied his team’s motion to keep the Cassie Ventura video from being used as evidence. (On top of that, Ventura is also willing to testify in court should it become necessary.) Also, Puff faced another legal loss when it was ruled that newer allegations related to the Freak Offs could be used as evidence by prosecutors.
TMZ does report, however, that what might help the prosecution is the fact that the criminal charges don’t involve minors and that there are no celebrity sex tapes in the mix. Over the last several months, the “Been Around the World” performer’s lawyers have been putting together his defense. In January, they filed docs related to the Freak Offs, arguing that party footage obtained by the feds furthered the notion that Diddy and Cassie Ventura were in a “consensual” relationship. More recently, it was reported that the attorneys planned to argue that Diddy leads a swinger lifestyle and prefers having multiple partners.
Aside from all of the available information and rumors surrounding P. Diddy, there are also more practical reasons as to why it may be difficult to finalize a jury. It may be tough for prospective jurors to commit to sitting in on a two-month trial, as it could create personal hardship. There’s no way of telling just how long it’ll take to narrow down the jurors, but they will have to be decided upon in some way for Diddy’s trial to proceed.
Celebrity couples have a way of capturing the public’s attention, such as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce or Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. The latter pair broke the internet when they reunited and got married in Vegas, but lately all the headlines have been about their break-up. And an alleged insider close to the Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed what he might be looking for in his next romantic partner.
JLo filed for divorce back in August, and the pair of A-listers were able to land on an agreement without actually facing off in court. Lopez and Affleck’s divorce is finalized, and an anonymous insider spoke to inTouch about what the latter is reportedly looking for in a future romance. As they put it:
She must be independent, strong in her convictions and understand that Ben’s sobriety has to come first. Someone sober would be ideal, but it’s not a priority.
Affleck has been public about his substance abuse issues, so it makes sense that his sobriety would need to be an ongoing priority in whatever future relationship comes down the line.
Some might argue that the description from this alleged insider sounds a lot like JLo. She’s obviously strong and successful pop star, and also reportedly doesn’t drink. Alas, their relationship has come to an end. The same anonymous insider spoke abut how Affleck is feeling about his romantic prospects, saying:
He’s hopeful. He really does want lasting love.
Don’t we all? Sometimes celebrities really are just like us… even if their breakups are way more public than we can imagine. And smart money says Bennifer will go viral whenever they start actually dating someone else.
The internet exploded when Affleck and Lopez got back together, especially given just how viral their first relationship was. They ended up getting married and blending families, but unfortunately have since split up. But now that their kids are close, they have reportedly continued to coparent in order to support this relationships.
(Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
The discourse surrounding that former relationship continues online, and there’s non-stop chatter about what might be going on behind the scenes. That includes rumors that Affleck and Jennifer Garner might be getting closer again. Although considering how many claims are swirling online, it’s hard to make sense of what is true and what isn’t.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
As the chatter about their personal lives continues on, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez continue keeping busy with their thriving careers. They both have projects on the 2025 movie release list and beyond, so it’s clear that the chatter about their personal lives hasn’t negatively affected their careers.
Saturday Night Live, now in its 50th season as part of the 2025 TV schedule, has showcased many stars. But none quite like the late Chris Farley. A whirlwind of energy and comedic talent, Farley’s iconic sketches helped shape SNL in the ’90s and continue to be celebrated. But his struggles with addiction are a sobering reminder of another SNL legend, John Belushi. Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, aimed to ensure that history wouldn’t repeat itself.
In a recent conversation on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Susan Morrison, author of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, spoke candidly about how deeply Belushi’s 1982 overdose affected Michaels and, in turn, how that shaped his handling of Farley. According to the author:
When Belushi died, it really hit him hard…And I think he felt like this whole approach of just letting people do their own thing on their own time, this was the wrong approach. We’re a tribe, we’re a group, and we have to look out for each other.
Chris Farley died of an overdose at 33. Cocaine and heroin, the same fatal mix that took Belushi. It was the tragedy Michaels had tried to avoid repeating. But even with all the interventions and hard decisions, addiction proved too powerful.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Peacock subscription holders can revisit SNL’s most iconic moments by streaming on the platform.
When Freaky Friday hit theaters 22 years ago, it marked the start of Chad Michael Murray’s rule as one of the main teenage heartthrobs of the 2000s. Now, the One Tree Hill actor is set to show audiences he’s still got that obsession-worthy quality about him, by reprising one of his most popular roles in the aforementioned film’s upcoming sequel. As for what his character, Jake, has been up to, Murray’s had a couple decades to think about the stereotypical bad boy’s story, and what he initially had in mind is wild.
Freakier Friday is set to hit theaters as part of the 2025 movie schedule in August, and it’s sure to be jam-packed with plenty of 2000s nostalgia. Murray is one of the many OG cast members returning for the sequel. When it comes to his latest turn as Jake, he told Entertainment Weekly he’s excited for his character to develop a little more depth to his backstory, sharing what he had in mind for adult Jake involved Jamie Lee Curtis’ Tess:
When I asked the question, ‘Where has he been?’ I always thought Jake had a room somewhere, in the closet of his house, where he’s got this wonderful Tess shrine, and that he’s been in love with her and he keeps a faded photo of her in his wallet, but he still loves it and opens it up from time to time and touches it. That was all part of the backstory that was going along with who Jake is in this fantasy world that he’s put himself in.
Cinderella Story sequel pitch. While it was part of the hilarious gag in the original that Jake starts to fall for Anna while her mom is inhabiting her teenage daughter’s body, I think a lifetime obsession with Tess takes it a little too far. Murray’s past advice for his character would have been to not get involved with Anna at all, so I’m a little surprised by this wild idea.
Perhaps Chad Michael Murray just has a strong fondness for co-star Jamie Lee Curtis, which would explain their cheeky exchanges on social media. Nevertheless, Murray poses a good question. What will be Jake’s story in this movie? I highly doubt the writers took to Murray’s wild Tess shrine idea, but I’d love to see the characters meet again.
However, it seems though that Murray’s role as the lead character’s love interest has shifted a bit from the OG movie. It’s already been revealed that Lindsay Lohan’s character, Anna, has a husband, played by The Good Place’s Manny Jacinto. The trailer seems to depict a fun, laugh worthy comedy, but will infidelity strike?
What we do know is that Lindsey Lohan teased Jake’s epic entrance on his motorcycle, fans receive a glimpse of in the trailer. I’m excited to see Murray’s chemistry with Lohan on the big screen again. Most of all, I’m excited to see Lohan and Curtis as partners in crime, rather than family frenemies.
Not to mention, we will see a whole new generation of Colemans involved in the inevitable body-swap fiasco, and the writers have made sure to update the movie with some Gen-Z humor per the Freakier Friday trailer. Speaking of, I wonder if Chad Michael Murray knows he’s got rizz. Regardless of that, you can see him as Jake once more when the film opens in theaters on August 8. In the meantime, stream its predecessor using a Disney+ subscription.
Landing a job on one of Peak TV’s most popular comedies seems like it’d be an enviable gig no matter what the details were. And while that is likely the case more often than not, horror stories within the industry do indeed exist, with The Office alum Lindsey Broad non-enjoying a first-person experience with just how despicable fandoms can get where controversial characters are involved.
First appearing in what’s arguably The Office’s worst cycle, Season 8, Broad arrived in the seventh episode as temp worker Cathy Simms, who landed at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch to help fill in as Pam transitioned into her maternity leave. Despite her seemingly normal behavior early on, it’s soon clear that Cathy doesn’t really mesh well with others, but harbors romantic feelings for Jim, eventually culminating in her brazen attempts to sleep with him in “After Hours.”
Jim and Pam’s picture-perfect relationship timeline, Cathy’s arc was cut short soon after, but that was only the beginning of Lindsey Broad’s years of dealing with obsessive and wildly immature Office fans who spew hateful messages online, even during her attempts to mourn her dead dog. Speaking with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey on their beloved podcast Office Ladies, Broad shared:
I will say the Internet is just a really crazy place. And there was a moment — I tweeted something back when I used to be on Twitter. When my dog was killed and I had posted on Instagram that my dog had died, there was a bunch of comments underneath being like, ‘Fuck you, Cathy. You deserve it.’
We all know the Internet is gonna Internet, regardless of whether there’s justification for it or not. But to angrily target an F-bomb at someone mourning a dog’s death due to a fictional character they did not create, but only portrayed across roughly 20-25 total minutes of screentime? That’s abysmal behavior for anyone to have to deal with.
(Image credit: Peacock)
Broad previously addressed fans’ harsh treatment at a point when the online comments seemed to be more prevalent, when the show was still streaming on Netflix ahead of shifting to Peacock. And despite multiple years going by, it’s still kind of shocking to hear that she’s dealt with such unfiltered negativity online for such a relatively minor role in a largely forgettable season. Maybe if any of her appearances happened in the best Office episodes of all time, but that’s not the case.
Thankfully, it appears as if Lindsey Broad’s experiences with sour viewers has been limited to online reactions, and her daily life isn’t plagued by such interactions. But part of that is because she purposefully doesn’t advertise her past career heights. As she put it:
As far as I know, it doesn’t really affect my real life, because my real life — I compartmentalize. I use the same last name as my kids, I try to be pretty unassuming in my real life. So I don’t know how much it bleeds over into how certain people see me or treat me. Occasionally, if I meet somebody and they just like really don’t like me despite the fact that I’m being very friendly, I’m always like in the back of my head, like, ‘Is that what it is?’
It appears as if Broad has been able to curb disturbing online reactions by limiting her social media activity, since that more easily allowed Office fans to track her down line. But the actress is more welcoming to having real-world dialogues with fans, since the very act of recognizing her in public is a sign that they’re a true fan and not just a disgruntled Pam and Jen stan. In her words:
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Here’s what I will say. The internet is a crazy place. I’ve gotten used to people calling me Cathy. However, when I meet people in real life, people are so excited. If people are big enough fans of The Office that they can recognize me, and again, I’m sort of an unassuming looking person. I’m not like, very flashy looking. So if they recognize me, they’re a big fan. People are so excited to see somebody from this show that they are just incredibly nice. The Internet is a different story.
The Office‘s popularity reached the point just this year in 2025 where a formerly closed Chili’s in Scranton, Pennsylvania reopened specifically to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the spinoff debuting on NBC. So I guess it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that certain pockets of the fandom chose to go all scorched-earth anytime an obstacle (human or otherwise) got in the way of Jim and Pam’s happiness. But it’s been 13 years since Cathy came and went, so maybe those feelings can be put to rest.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to make its highly anticipated debut on the 2025 movie schedule later this year and, based on what’s been shared about it thus far, it’s going to be a true epic. The third installment in James Cameron’s science-fiction saga is set to continue the story of the Sulley family and, unsurprisingly, they’ll encounter new challenges in this latest film. Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri won’t be immune to any kind of problems either, as the actress shared some worrying thoughts about how “pain” is going to impact her character.
2022’s The Way of Water (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) sees Neytiri going through considerable changes. Early on, she and her brood must leave her native Omatikaya for the Metkayina to evade the revived Miles Quaritch and the RDA. The family experiences its share of challenges throughout the film, and that all culminates in the death of Neytiri and Jake’s first-born son, Neteyam. Zoe Saldaña reveals that her character’s grief definitely factors into Fire and Ash’s story:
That pain is seamlessly followed up on. And because it doesn’t really have anywhere to go, and doesn’t go away, rage can also come from it. [The Sullys] are going to be tested as a family.
upcoming sci-fi movie. Neytiri can be headstrong under the best of circumstances, so I can’t even predict how grief might fuel her actions. While speaking with Empire Magazine, the Oscar-winning actress also suggested that her character is going to deal with both external and internal struggles:
Not only would everything that’s happening compel her to question the bond she has with her husband but also her bond with herself, her people, her land, and the way the Na’vi are. She’s going to question everything.
I get the feeling Neytiri is going to have to make some crucial decisions, which will likely impact not only her but those around her as well. All of the Sulleys are apparently going to have to lean on each other in a big way in this threequel. The film is set to introduce a clan of evil Na’vi known as the Mangkwan (or the Ash people). To that point, Zoe Saldaña also mentioned during her interview that Neytiri will “meet her match” in the clan’s leader, Varang, who’s played by Oona Chaplin.
Considering Fire and Ash’s lengthy runtime, there’s a lot of narrative real estate for James Cameron and co. to play with. It’s natural for fans not to want to see their favorite characters experience pain but, if they’re going to evolve, that needs to be the case. So I’m definitely eager to see this third Avatar film, though I’m still hopeful that Neytiri doesn’t end up doing anything she’ll ultimately regret.
Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters on December 19. Considering the spectacle associated with this franchise, I’d wager that you should see the film on the biggest screen possible.
