We have discussed the end of Hollywood as we know it a great deal over the past year or so. Much of this was based upon technology and what is happening with disruption.
Movie studios are screwed. jobs are being lost and production is waning. Even the Los Angles times is opining how something needs to be done.
It might not matter. all of this could be accelerated. This time, it is not technology. Instead, it could be Sean Combs, aka P. Diddy, who is the nail.
Hollywood Sex Crimes
By now, most are aware of the allegations made against Diddy. He is sitting in a jail in New York, denied bail by the judge. He faces multiple counts including RICO, which is a charge of running a criminal organization. This was the law they used to take down the New York Mafia in the 1980s and 1990s.
Diddy was only charged so we will acknowledge this is alleged.
Things just got a lot worse. Earlier I saw a press conference with an attorney discussing a class action lawsuit that his firm is filing. It was against Diddy himself. The plaintiffs numbers 125, with 60 men, 40 women, and 25 minors.
Again, we are simply dealing with a lawsuit so we have to tread lightly.
However, were were a couple things that he said which caught my attention.
- Over 3,200 people contacted the firm
He stated that over 3,200 people contacted the firm. This is a rather large number, if true, more than just a money grab case.
- Some of the victims talked to FBI
The FBI interviewed a number of the victims. He did not reveal what it was in reference, i.e. Diddy himself or other people.
- There are other big names who will be sued
Diddy was not operating alone. This attorney said that, at some point, he would be naming names. There would be other actions taken if the investigators can collaborate the allegations.
Evidently there were police interviews and hospital visits over the years. They are collecting that evidence. He did mention that a number who sough medical treatment were drugged.
Diddy Parties
Diddy is known for his parties. These are the who's who of the entertainment industry.
According to the lawyer filing the lawsuit, they are going to hit up everyone who was involved. Naturally, those who committed sex acts are obvious targets. But there were onlookers who were paid hush money to keep quite.
The challenge here, from an optics standpoint, is that Diddy is suddenly alone. He was very popular with the biggest stars. now they are all hiding.
People like Usher have taken a hard, public stance against Diddy for years. Nobody knows what happens but Usher was there when he was an up and coming youngster.
The alleged abuses took place over decades. There could be situations where criminal charges are not possible due to the age of the crimes. This is also a situation where the activity took place in numerous states such as New York, Georgia, and California. Each will have different laws regarding that.
As for the civil trials, this is where things can get hairy. Big names could be pulled out and hit hard. If Diddy's guest lists are any indication, we are dealing with the biggest Hollywood (and music) names.
The End of Hollywood
The MeToo movement causes a huge stir a number of years ago. That was something that shook Hollywood. However, this is an order of magnitude larger.
It would appear, based upon the attorney's comments, the width and depth of this is much larger. We are also dealing with something that crosses industry. In addition to the two named industries, Diddy was also involved with sports stars and media personalities.
Will any of them be implicated?
Nevertheless, with the headwinds the industry is already facing, it can ill afford to have its biggest stars become Kryptonite. The question becomes who knew what? There were allegations against Charlie Sheen, for example, by Corey Haim. This is something that Sheen denied.
Did someone like him have a part?
This could be much wider than just stars. What about movie studio and record executives? It is not outrageous to think they were involved. Diddy is accused of human trafficking. What this known by some of these people and yet they said nothing?
There are a lot of questions.
My expectation is that Diddy gets the Epstein treatment. There are a lot of powerful people who could be implicated. That said, Epstein had dirt on politicians and a lot of corporate heads. We will have to see how far this goes but people might distance themselves from the Hollywood crowd.
The remaining Hollywood system is already looking to move some of its operations outside California. If this case ends up seeing indictments (or at least lawsuits) against the biggest Hollywood players, it could spell the end. The companies behind this industry might just relocate for a clean start.
The next year or so will be interesting.