An article from Cheat Sheet has thrown a spotlight on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ claims that the Me Too movement inspired him in a 2021 interview. During it, he was pressed for details and reportedly became uneasy, struggling to back up his statements.
A Vanity Fair cover story by journalist Tressie McMillan Cottom featured an interview with Combs about his evolving public image. At the time, he was in the midst of a rebrand, asking to be called “Love” and promoting a message of positivity. However, when the conversation turned to his supposed support for the Me Too movement, things took a turn. According to Cottom, Combs grew uncomfortable and failed to provide any meaningful explanation.
Diddy’s Awkward Response to Me Too Questions
During the interview, Combs initially offered a broad statement about how the movement had impacted him.
“When they said in the #MeToo, when it was over, it was over … The #MeToo movement, the truth, is that it inspired me,” he told Vanity Fair. “It showed me that you can get maximum change.”
But when Cottom asked follow-up questions, she quickly realized he didn’t have much to say beyond surface-level soundbites. She later told The Independent that Combs seemed more interested in having the right quotes appear in print than in genuinely engaging with the topic.
“He couldn’t even perform it well … It was another one of those moments where it was clear that it was out of context, the quotes. He wanted it to make the piece, but he didn’t have anything to make it significant. And he did get very uncomfortable when I asked follow-up questions.”
A Rebrand That Now Feels Insulting
At the time of the interview, Combs was working hard to reshape his public image under the moniker “Love.” He framed it as a personal transformation focused on kindness and compassion. However, in light of recent abuse allegations, Cottom now sees the rebrand in a much darker light.
“I think that is particularly egregious,” she said. “After everything came out, choosing ‘Love’ felt like a psychopath move. It wasn’t enough to try to rebrand himself and do all the reputation management, but that seemed like a very sort of particular thumb in the eye to his victims. That, to me, pushed it into being, you know … sick.”
Even before the allegations, Cottom sensed something was off. She recalled that throughout their conversation, Combs repeatedly described himself in an oddly self-aggrandizing way.
“He kept talking about, ‘I’m an attractive young man,’” she said. “The way he would describe himself, first of all, was ‘young’ which I thought was bizarre.”
Ultimately, she believed his exaggerated self-image masked deep-seated insecurity.
“Absent the money and the star power, I’m not sure we would look at him and think those things, but that’s the kind of story a very scared, self-conscious little boy would write about himself, right?” she said. “The ladies love me. I’m so powerful. I’m so dope. I’m a playboy. That sounded like a child.”
Cottom walked away from the interview with a strange feeling about Combs. Years later, as allegations against him continue to emerge, his hollow words about Me Too and his “Love” persona now seem even more unsettling.
