Andrea Francese | Showbiz Cheat Sheet Senior Writer

Jill Dillard Isn’t the Only Duggar Family Member Who Refused to Have Her Labor Filmed

Andrea Francese — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:47:13 +0000

For over 10 years, the Duggar family had every critical moment of their lives filmed, including labor and delivery, and many mundane moments, too. As the cast of one of TLC’s most successful reality TV shows, the Duggar kids grew up on camera. Now, several years after the last episode of Counting On aired, the adult children are opening up about the problems that arose from their unconventional lifestyle. Two Duggar couples have now revealed they dealt with pushback when they asked not to have the birth of their children filmed.

Austin Forsyth recalls taking ‘heat’ for asking that his son’s birth not be filmed

The Duggar family might not have been big on privacy. After all, the 19 kids grew up in shared rooms, never went anywhere alone, and had built-in “accountability” buddies at every turn. The lack of boundaries led to plenty of awkward moments. It also allowed TLC to capture moments that should have been private.

As more of the adult Duggar kids speak out, the more family followers are learning about how difficult it was for them to say no. Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth recently opened up about what it was like for them to opt out of having the birth of their first son, Gideon Forsyth, filmed.

Joy-Anna Duggar, Austin Forsyth, and their daughter, Evelyn | Follow the Forsyths via YouTube

During an appearance on The Jinger and Jeremy Podcast, Austin Forsyth discussed the difficulty he experienced while adjusting to life in front of a camera and how the Duggar family operated. Austin revealed that he took a lot of “heat” for refusing to allow the birth of his first child with Joy-Anna to be filmed. Austin said there was an assumption that all Duggar family labor and deliveries would be filmed, as several others had already aired. He pointed out that Jessa Seewald and Jill Dillard agreed to film their labor experiences before Gideon’s arrival.

Jill and Derick Dillard opted to keep camera crews out, too

While Austin implied that he and Joy were the first Duggar couple to deny a film crew access to labor and delivery, that wasn’t the case. Jill and Derick Dillard attempted to keep the arrival of Israel Dillard in 2015 private but “lost.” They captured their own footage for the network.

They gave more pushback in 2017, though. The couple refused to have their second son’s birth filmed. Samuel Dillard arrived in July 2017, seven months before Gideon’s birth.

Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard appear in the Prime Video docuseries ‘Shiny Happy People’ | Amazon Content Services LLC

The decision was so out of character that for years, Duggar family followers suspected that TLC had filmed the birth but that something had gone terribly wrong, leading to the decision to scrap the footage. They were half right. While the birth was, in fact, complicated and led to emergency intervention for Jill, camera crews were never there to capture Samuel’s emergency arrival.

Derick and Jill pulled back the curtain and revealed what happened with Samuel’s birth in Jill’s hit memoir, Counting the Cost. They also touched on how their decision to keep TLC away led to trouble with Jim Bob Duggar. Jill did not openly discuss her siblings or their personal choices in the non-fiction offering. She opened up about the decision following the memoir’s release, insisting that each of her siblings is on their own journey and should have the right to tell their own story if and when they choose.

One Member of Diddy’s Legal Team Quits Case With Ominous Statement: Who Are His Remaining Lawyers?

Andrea Francese — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:18:23 +0000

There has been a massive development in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ criminal case. While the disgraced music mogul remains behind bars at a federal facility in New York City, his legal team will need to scramble to alter their duties. A key member of Diddy’s defense team has opted to step down, offering an ominous explanation for the sudden change of heart just a few months before the case goes to trial.

Attorney Anthony Ricco leaves a courthouse | Julia Xanthos-Pool/Getty Images

Anthony Ricco is dropping Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs as a client

Anthony Ricco has opted to step away from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal battle. The music mogul hired the attorney in September 2024, the same month federal agents arrested Diddy on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

The defense attorney, who has worked on many high-profile cases and is a law professor, told a New York judge that he could not continue as legal counsel for Diddy. In a filing, Ricco said, “Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs.” He went on to request that a judge grant his relief request.

While the statement might sound ominous, there is a good reason for the mysterious nature of it. According to the New York Post, Ricco’s statement was so brief because he must protect attorney-client privilege. In short, Ricco’s reason for quitting may be directly tied to something he learned while interacting with Diddy or the other lawyers on the case. He can not share that information.

Diddy is already working with other lawyers

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal defense might have hit a setback with the resignation of Anthony Ricco. The rapper won’t be starting over with new counsel, though. Ricco was just one of six members of his team. None of his other lawyers have indicated that they’ll be resigning. So, who are the other lawyers working with Diddy?

Marc Agnifilo (R) and Teny Geragos (L) leave a courthouse together | ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

According to several sources, Mark Agnifilo is the lead counsel on Diddy’s criminal defense team. The Brooklyn Law School graduate is renowned for defending complex, high-profile cases. He has represented clients charged with everything from sex trafficking to bribery. Agnifilo has not spoken about Ricco’s decision to remove himself from the case. Interestingly enough, Agnifilo’s wife, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, is serving as Luigi Mangione’s legal counsel. Mangione, who stands accused of shooting and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is housed in the same institution as Diddy.

Teny Geragos, who has appeared on several news shows since Diddy’s arrest, and Alexandra Shapiro are also working on the case, according to Newsweek. There are reportedly additional lawyers involved. Each lawyer took on a different aspect of Diddy’s complex criminal charges. According to the publication, Shapiro took the lead on Diddy’s unsuccessful bail requests.

Media frenzy outside the Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse on September 17, 2024 | James Devaney/GC Images

It’s unclear how Ricco’s decision to step down will affect Diddy’s case and how his team will proceed now. Still, Ricco insists there has been no disruption, and the timeline for the trial remains the same. Diddy’s trial is expected to begin in May, but it wouldn’t be unheard of for that to change.

Jennifer Garner’s Typical Lunch Is Inspired by ‘Seinfeld’

Andrea Francese — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:19:00 +0000

Jennifer Garner might be best known for her acting roles, but the world fell in love with her thanks to her social media presence. Garner’s Instagram series, “Pretend Cooking Show,” captures her personality and has made her relatable to new generations. While she likes to cook up plenty of interesting dishes for the social media series, she actually has a go-to lunch inspired by an iconic sitcom. Garner enjoys the “big salad” of Seinfeld fame.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes | George Lange/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Jennifer Garner has a go-to lunch

Jennifer Garner is a pretty busy woman. She has a successful acting career, three children, a relationship, and a growing social media empire to look after. To make things simple and streamlined, Garner has the same lunch every single day — inspired by Seinfeld.

During a chat with Women’s Health, Garner revealed that she eats a “big salad” like Elaine Benes daily for lunch. The contents of each lunch might be slightly different, but the actor said she makes sure she has some hearty vegetables, a dark leafy green, nuts, and cheese in every salad.

Fans of Seinfeld will remember that Elaine’s “big salad” was featured heavily in the storyline for a season 6 episode. While Elaine ordered and ate big salads regularly on the show, the season 6 episode is the first time the “big salad” was so heavily addressed. Elaine’s big salad probably looked much different from Garner’s, though. Elaine’s salad likely included olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers since it was purchased from a coffee shop. Arugula and sweet potatoes weren’t nearly as accessible in the ’90s.

Did Jennifer Garner ever appear on ‘Seinfeld’?

Seinfeld might have focused on Jerry Seinfeld and his friends, but guest stars were a regular part of the series. In fact, several very famous faces appeared on Seinfeld in guest roles before they went on to play lead roles in other series. Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson appeared in the series as love interests before starring in Gilmore Girls. Graham’s character dated Jerry, while Patterson famously dated Elaine. Kristin Davis, who took on a lead role in Sex and the City, also appeared as one of Jerry’s girlfriends. Teri Hatcher, Debra Messing, and Courteney Cox took on roles, too.

So, did Jennifer Garner ever appear in the show? The answer is no. While Garner was actively acting during the latter years of Seinfeld‘s run, she never appeared in a guest role. Her breakout role as Sydney Bristow in Alias did not come until 2001, three years after the famed sitcom ended. Despite that, she’s clearly a fan and has taken inspiration from the series for her own life, at least when it comes to her food choices.

When Might ‘Sister Wives’ Season 19 Return?

Andrea Francese — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 03:26:00 +0000

Sister Wives is one of TLC’s most popular reality TV series, but that might not have always been the case. Still, in the last few years, the breakdown of the family’s polygamist structure has captivated audiences. Season 19 hasn’t been as dramatic as previous seasons, but there has been more honesty from the Browns than ever before.

Twenty episodes into the season, Sister Wives delivered what felt like a lackluster finale. However, season 19 of Sister Wives is over — it’s just on a break. While no one is certain how long the mid-season break will last, there are clues.

‘Sister Wives’ stars Meri, Kody, Robyn, Janelle, and Christine Brown | TLC

‘Sister Wives’ shocks with a mid-season finale

On Feb. 2, Sister Wives aired a somewhat muted mid-season finale. The following week, the reality show did not return with a new episode. The series wasn’t back with anything new on Feb. 16, either. The next several weeks will bring nothing new from the Browns. Instead, fans who tune in will see Alec and Hilaria Baldwin in the new series The Baldwins.

TLC has decided to air a mid-season finale for Sister Wives and take a break from the Brown family and their drama. The Baldwins and their new reality show will slide into the iconic timeslot. Season 1 of The Baldwins will cover the couple’s day-to-day life with their supersized family. The show will also discuss the legal trouble Baldwin found himself in after the accidental death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust. Hutchins, a cinematographer, was fatally wounded when a prop gun was accidentally loaded with a live round of ammunition.

So, when will the ‘Sister Wives’ Season 19 resume?

Meri Brown and Janelle Brown in ‘Sister Wives’ | TLC

While season 19 of Sister Wives is over for the moment, the season hasn’t wrapped. Additional episodes are expected, likely after The Baldwins airs its entire first season. TLC has not revealed how many episodes will be in the show’s premiere season, but the network currently lists six episodes on its upcoming schedule.

Assuming the first season of The Baldwins only has six episodes, and Sister Wives resumes immediately following the new show’s finale, fans should expect to see more from the Brown family during the first week of April. While TLC has not made any official announcements, a two-month break isn’t unheard of. It has happened in the show’s history.

In 2013, TLC opted to air the first 11 episodes of season 6 of Sister Wives before taking a breather. Episode 11 of the season, which offered a reunion special, aired in late September 2013. The series returned on Dece. 29, 2013, with season 6, episode 12. The season had 20 episodes in total.

It is unclear why the network opted to split the season, but it was roughly two months between the two halves. If Sister Wives returns when we think it will, the break will be two months long, too. It is unclear how many more episodes can be expected, as season 19 is currently one of the show’s longest seasons. TLC is also keeping quiet about the show’s future.

Chuck Lorre Kind of Shares a Quirk With Sheldon Cooper

Andrea Francese — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 17:52:56 +0000

Chuck Lorre is a highly successful show creator. The famed writer and producer has brought fans shows like Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Young Sheldon. While Lorre, at first glance, doesn’t appear to have a ton in common with the characters he’s created over the years, he recently admitted he does have one thing in common with Sheldon Cooper: he sort of shares one of the character’s quirks.

Billy Prady, Chuck Lorre and the cast of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ | Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images

Chuck Lorre has a little something in common with Sheldon Cooper

Chuck Lorre might not be a physicist, nor did he graduate from college as a mere child. Still, he shares one quirk with the fictional theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper. Lorre is a bit particular about where he sits, just like the iconic character he created for The Big Bang Theory.

Speaking at the 2025 Warner Bros. Television Press Day, Lorre revealed that he picked up a habit many years ago about where he will sit. The show creator admitted that he refuses to sit in a chair that has his name on it.

Such seating is common in the television and movie industry, but Lorre insisted that while he couldn’t defend the superstition, he had no intention of stopping. After all, things have gone well for the industry A-lister since the quirk developed. Lorre didn’t mention if his own seating quirk somehow influenced Sheldon’s seating preferences, but there are similarities.

Kunal Nayyar as Raj Koothrappali, Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz, Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper and Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ | Erik Voake/CBS via Getty Images

As fans of the hit series may remember, Sheldon Cooper had a specific spot on the couch that only he could sit in. Sheldon’s “spot” factored into several hilarious storylines during the show’s 12-season run. While he was most specific about his spot on his couch, he had seating preferences elsewhere and often bemoaned having to find the right “spot” in different locations.

What is Chuck Lorre working on now?

Chuck Lorre has had a long and illustrious career, having created several successful series. He’s not done yet, though. The 72-year-old showrunner appeared at the Warner Bros. Television Press Day to discuss his latest creation, Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage. The show, a spinoff of Young Sheldon, is one of two additional The Big Bang Theory spinoffs planned.

A second spinoff is planned for Max. While many details remain a mystery, Deadline has reported that the show will star Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus. The actors portrayed Stuart Bloom, Bert Kibbler, and Denise, respectively. All three characters were on the periphery of the main social group in The Big Bang Theory. The main group included Leonard Hofstadter, Sheldon Cooper, Raj Koothrappali, and Howard Wolowitz. It later expanded to include Penny, Bernadette Rostenkowski, and Amy Farrah Fowler. No release date has been announced.

‘American Murder: Gabby Petito’: Where Are Brian Laundrie’s Parents Today?

Andrea Francese — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:04:25 +0000

American Murder: Gabby Petito was released on Netflix on Feb. 17, and the series has already fascinated viewers unfamiliar with the 22-year-old aspiring influencer or her tragic disappearance and murder.

While her former partner and murderer, Brian Laundrie, was heavily discussed in the true crime docuseries, his parents, Roberta and Christopher Laundrie, were decidedly absent from the project. Where are they today?

Why weren’t Brian Laundrie’s parents featured in the docuseries?

Brian Laundrie’s death by suicide two months after Petito’s murder put to rest any doubt that he was responsible for her death. But he wasn’t the only Laundrie family member who was the focus of media coverage following Petito’s disappearance.

His parents, Roberta and Christopher Laundrie, and their actions heavily influenced media coverage while the case was active. They were not included in the docuseries, though. It wasn’t for lack of trying.

Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro attempted to involve the Laundries in the series. Gasparro told Variety that they contacted Brian Laundrie’s parents and asked them to sit for an interview for American Murder: Gabby Petito. They declined to be involved. Gapsarro said that his team only reached out once and respected their decision to decline.

In the end, they were not needed for the story. The director explained that while many true crime documentaries focused on the murderer, they wanted to ensure they concentrated on Petito and her story. Roberta and Christopher Laundrie would likely have drawn focus away from the victim.

Where are the Laundries today?

Roberta and Christopher Laundrie have dodged public life in the years since their son’s remains were found. Petito’s parents sued the couple for emotional distress following the discovery of the Gaby’s and Brian’s bodies. They settled the lawsuit out of court in 2024. Since then, the Laundries have remained under the radar.

It is unclear where the family lives or if they still reside in the home that became a media gathering point during the search for Petito. In 2021, the Daily Mail revealed that a “For Sale” sign had appeared on the home’s lawn, suggesting the couple was looking to sell the Florida property. There are no records indicating the property was sold, though.

Brian Laundrie’s sister has maintained a low profile since the case. She was not heavily involved in the initial media coverage of Petito’s disappearance and murder.

Jason and Kylie Kelce Have Dealt With Criticism for Their Baby Name Choices

Andrea Francese — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 17:38:55 +0000

Jason and Kylie Kelce aren’t an NFL couple anymore, but they’ve parlayed Jason’s career with the Philadelphia Eagles into a media empire. The duo’s respective podcasts are incredibly popular, but with increased exposure has come increased criticism.

Over the last few years, fans and the media have occasionally criticized the Kelces. Now Kylie is opening up about the unexpected hate she gets for the baby names she’s chosen. She seems prepared for more criticism as she welcomes her fourth child soon.

Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce | Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Prime Video

Kylie Kelce says people have been upset by her choice of baby names

Kylie Kelce appeared on Call Her Daddy in February 2025 and opened up about some of the things that people hate on her for. The media personality revealed that she and her husband, Jason Kelce, have been lambasted for their choice of baby names. In fact, they’ve received backlash after revealing the names of all three of their daughters, noting that people apparently have strong opinions about gender-neutral names for girls.

The couple, currently awaiting their fourth daughter’s arrival, will likely endure a fresh batch of criticism when she arrives. Kylie and Jason Kelce haven’t landed on the perfect baby name just yet. Still, she said they plan to stay with their current theme of gender-neutral names. Kylie theorized that it would be a bit odd to give their fourth daughter a more feminine name when the other three have gender-neutral monikers.

What did Jason and Kylie Kelce name their first 3 children?

Kylie Kelce | Michael Simon/Getty Images for HP Inc.

While Kylie and Jason Kelce are awaiting the arrival of their fourth daughter, there is already a lot of activity in the couple’s Pennsylvania home. They are already parenting three girls under 5 years old while searching for the right name for #4.

The couple’s first daughter was born in October 2019. The couple named her Wyatt Elizabeth Kelce. Kylie Kelce said she got the most hate for her first baby name choice. Apparently, many people are bothered by the notion of a girl named Wyatt.

The Kelces may consider Wyatt a gender-neutral name, but the Social Security Index shows that the name does not rank in the top 1000 names for newborn girls. It did rank as the 29th most popular name for boys the year the Kelces’ eldest daughter was born. While not unheard of, it was undoubtedly an unusual pick, and they carried that theme as they welcomed more children.

Their second daughter, Elliotte Ray Kelce, joined the family in 2021. In 2023, they announced the arrival of their third daughter, Bennett Llewellyn. Like Wyatt, Bennett did not rank as a popular female name the year the Kelces’ named their third daughter. It remains in the top 100 names given to baby boys, though. Elliot (the most common spelling of the name) remains more popular for boys than girls as it did rank for girls the year the Kelces welcomed their second child.

Meri Brown Once Joked That Getting a Dog Turned Out to Be a Great Dating Tool

Andrea Francese — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:19:00 +0000

Meri Brown left Kody Brown behind in 2023. Since then, she’s been pretty honest about her desire to find love, even going Instagram official with one short-lived romance. While the Sister Wives star’s romance with Amos Andrews didn’t last long, she isn’t about to give up on love.

In the meantime, Meri Brown has plenty of friends and even a dog to keep her company. In fact, she recently revealed that her dog, Zona, is helping her out when it comes to finding a date.

Meri Brown’s dog has made it easier for her to date

Meri Brown is a dog mom, and it looks like she couldn’t be happier about it. On Dec. 31, Meri took to Instagram to celebrate a full year with her canine companion. While Meri didn’t go into adopting a pet hoping they would help her navigate the dating world, she insists it has made it a bit easier to wade back into the dating pool. In the post, Meri joked that having Zona has made it easier for her to eliminate potential suitors who just won’t work.

She said if the dog doesn’t like him or the suitor isn’t a dog person, he’s instantly out as a potential life partner. Meri also noted that Zona has served as something of a wingwoman over the last year. The reality TV star claimed heading to a dog park is a great introductory date.

Interestingly enough, Meri introduced her social media followers to a boyfriend shortly after revealing that she brought a dog into her life. Still, it doesn’t seem Zona had anything to do with the pairing. The relationship predates Zona’s adoption date. Meri reportedly dated Amos Andrews for a few months before going official on Instagram with the relationship. The connection did not last, and Meri is back on the market.

Only one sister wife isn’t a pet person

The cast of TLC’s ‘Sister Wives’ ahead of the series midseason finale | TLC

Meri Brown might not be in regular contact with her former sister wives, but she has her love of pets in common with at least one of her former sister wives. Janelle Brown famously chose her kids and her dogs over Kody Brown. Christine Brown also had pets, and several of the adult children have become pet owners, too. In fact, most of the Brown family likes having pets around. Robyn Brown is the exception.

A clip of Robyn Brown kicking the family’s elderly dog during season 1 of Sister Wives resurfaces periodically on Reddit. Several fans weighed in, noting that Robyn doesn’t appear to like animals. She has never mentioned pets, and none have been shown inside her home. Instead, she seems focused on collecting dolls.

The Kanye West Recap: Everything That Has Happened in February (Thus Far…)

Andrea Francese — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 23:16:00 +0000

Kanye West was pretty quiet for much of 2024, lying low in Japan for the second part of the year. Apparently, it was the calm before the storm. While West rang in the new year in Japan, he has since returned stateside, wasting no time whipping up controversy. We’ve collected everything that has happened with the famed rapper since February 1. We must warn you, it is a wild ride.

Bianca Censori strips naked at the Grammy Awards

Kanye West and Bianca Censori returned to the United States after several months abroad ahead of the Grammy Awards. The couple walked the red carpet together, with Censori initially donning a fur coat. She then stripped off the coat to reveal a sheer slip that made her appear entirely naked.

Kanye West and Bianca Censori | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Censori and West, who wore a black t-shirt and pants on the red carpet, never made it inside the venue. According to Variety, they never attempted to gain access to the ceremony, and they were not asked to leave. It is unclear if they had even been invited.

Kanye West goes on an antisemitic rant on X (formerly Twitter)

Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s Grammy Awards appearance raised more than a few eyebrows, but West’s behavior following the event has been far more troubling. Several days after the Grammys, West took to X (formerly Twitter) to rant about Jewish people. In thehe tirade, West claimed he did not trust Jewish people, called himself a Nazi, and shared his thoughts on Adolf Hitler.

Kanye West | Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for ADIDAS

He also used social media to defend Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and promote an antisemitic t-shirt design. Combs is currently awaiting trial on a variety of sex crime charges. Kanye West has not been implicated. West’s social media accounts were later wiped.

The music mogul is dropped by his talent agency

Following his rant and the subsequent deactivation of his account, Kanye West’s talent agency spoke out against him. On February 10, Daniel McCartney, a music agent for 33&West, revealed that the company had terminated their relationship with West, effectively immediately. The announcement was posted to Instagram.

Kanye West and Bianca Censori attend the Prototypes Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 19, 2024 | Lyvans Boolaky/Getty Images

33&West is not the only talent agency that has opted to part ways with the rapper in a very public way over the years. In 2022, CAA publicly dropped West as a client after another slew of hateful and antisemitic comments. West, who appears to remain unapologetic, has not commented.

Kanye West speaks out about a resurfaced sex tape

You might think the Grammy Awards stunt, antisemitic rants, and career troubles would be enough to push Kanye West back into hiding. But he doesn’t think so. In recent days, West has spoken out about a sex tape that allegedly exists.

According to the Cleveland Jewish News, Kevin Blatt took to Instagram Threads to threaten to release a sex tape featuring Kanye West after the rapper’s antisemitic rant. Blatt claims to have “intercepted” a tape for West more than a decade ago. Blatt has connections in the adult entertainment industry. West responded, calling the tape a “fun night.”

Kanye West performs onstage during the ‘Vultures 1’ playback concert | Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Claims of a sex tape existing are likely legit, although one has yet to be leaked. In 2012, TMZ reported that two sex tapes featuring Kanye West were being shopped. Talk of the tapes disappeared quickly, though, which aligns with Blatt’s declaration that he was hired to make the recordings go away.

Kanye West has packed a lot of controversy into the last two weeks. It doesn’t look like he’s planning to slow down either. While it’s unclear where he is at the moment, followers are waiting for the music mogul’s next move.

Jay-Z Says Now-Dismissed Rape Lawsuit Filing Date Was Strategic

Andrea Francese — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:02:54 +0000

Sean “Diddy” Combs remains locked up in a federal prison while he awaits a criminal trial, but has one less lawsuit to worry about. An unidentified woman has withdrawn her lawsuit that accused both Combs and Jay-Z of rape.

Jay-Z, who has not been implicated in any criminal investigation, responded by filing a lawsuit of his own. The music mogul filed suit against Tony Buzbee, the lawyer who represented the woman. In his filing, he accuses the lawyer of launching a “smear campaign” and inflicting emotional and financial distress on his family. Jay-Z claims the lawsuit’s filing date was strategic.

Tony Buzbee | Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

The lawsuit against Jay-Z has been dropped, but he’s not letting it go

Jay-Z has spent the last two months with allegations of rape and sexual abuse looming over his head. In December, the rap mogul was named in one of dozens of lawsuits filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The accuser alleged that Diddy and Jay-Z raped her at a 2000 afterparty. She was just a teen at the time. Jay-Z was quick to deny the allegations.

On February 14, the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice. In short, the accuser agreed to drop the lawsuit and cannot refile it. It is unclear why the accuser opted to drop the claim. While the dismissal of the claim is a win for Jay-Z, he isn’t ready to let things go.

The rapper, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has filed a lawsuit against Buzbee. Jay-Z claims he lost $20 million in contracts and partnerships because of the lawsuit and what he describes as Buzbee’s “smear campaign.” There is also an emotional aspect to the situation, though.

Jay-Z says Tony Buzbee tried to inflict maximum damage with lawsuit filing date

Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Blue Ivy Carter at the ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premiere at Dolby Theatre on Dec. 9, 2024 | Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Jay-Z isn’t just objecting to the lawsuit as a whole; he has an issue with when Buzbee opted to file the paperwork. In his filing, Jay-Z accuses the lawyer of strategically filing the lawsuit to coincide with the release of Mufasa: The Lion King.

According to People, Jay-Z argues that Buzbee wanted to inflict maximum emotional and financial damage with the lawsuit’s timing, forcing him to choose between supporting his daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, or staying out of the spotlight in light of the allegations. Blue Ivy voiced Kiara in the movie, the 13-year-old’s first major acting role.

Buzbee filed the lawsuit on behalf of the still unidentified accuser on Dec. 9, 2024, the same day as the Mufasa: The Lion King premiere. News of the lawsuit broke hours before Jay-Z hit the red carpet and was photographed with his daughter and wife, Beyonce Knowles. Despite smiling in the photos, the entire family looks a bit tense at the event.

Buzbee has not yet commented.