The closely-watched Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial took an unexpected foray into late-night TV Friday, with a brief mention of a perhaps equally unexpected late-night show: The Chris Gethard Show.
According to a court transcript, reference to Chris Gethard’s former show was made during cross-examination of Diddy’s former assistant—known to the general public under the pseudonym Mia.
Attempting to sow doubt that she had been victimized by the rapper, Diddy’s defense team questioned specific posts she made on a personal social media account—one of which included her promoting Diddy’s appearance in a TCGS episode.
“Watch Puff tonight on Fuse today. I convinced him to make a door on his TV set and call it the Diddy door,” Mia posted.
Mia was referencing an April 2016 episode of The Chris Gethard Show that saw Diddy make a surprise appearance, something TCGS fans had anticipated for years.
Back in the days when TCGS was a comedy club show rather than a TV program, Gethard launched a campaign to get Diddy to appear on the show at NYC’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Diddy eventually did in 2011. During that visit, the rapper offered to spread the word about Gethard’s fledgling show to other celebrities, leading to him being given an honorary ‘talent booker’ credit on the show.
When TCGS eventually made its way to cable, Gethard built a set that included the aforementioned “Diddy Door”—a permanent door that only Combs could enter through. In “The Diddy Episode,” he finally did.
(Since accusations against Combs have come to light, Gethard has publicly expressed his support for the accusers.)
Following today’s mention of the show in court, Gethard reacted on X, writing “I once made a TV show so weird that it is brought up at the trials of alleged sex trafficking rap moguls.”
“I would say that I have probably lived a weirder life than any other dad in my suburban neighborhood,” he added in another post.
Late-night hosts winding up as footnotes in major trials seems to be something of an occupational hazard. Last May, Jimmy Kimmel was mentioned in now-President Donald Trump’s hush money trial… twice. And back in 2020, an episode of Late Show with David Letterman was admitted into evidence at the Harvey Weinstein trial.
