Russell Brand’s stirring the pot again. The British comedian, fresh off denying rape and sexual assault charges last week, dropped a wild claim on April 4, 2025, suggesting Sean “Diddy” Combs might’ve “exploited” Justin Bieber. With Diddy locked up facing racketeering and sex trafficking charges, and Bieber looking rough in recent clips, Brand’s comments are hitting a nerve. Here’s the breakdown.
Brand’s Bieber Blast
On his latest podcast episode, Brand revisited a Grammy moment with ex-wife Katy Perry where they jokingly talked about “adopting” Bieber. “Only now do I realize Diddy may have been exploiting him,” he posted on X, adding, “That changes how I feel about that joke!” He dug deeper, calling Bieber “the first modern celebrity”—a social media kid turned global icon. “He ain’t looking well now,” Brand noted, tying Bieber’s current state to the “machinery of celebrity.”
Diddy Flashback
Brand’s not new to Diddy’s orbit. Back in a 2010 BlackTree TV interview, he painted the Bad Boy mogul as “intense” and hard to refuse. “He took me on an enforced holiday to Vegas,” Brand said. “He’s very powerful… it’s really hard to not do what he wants.” He admitted feeling pressure: “You think, ‘Don’t upset him.’ He may ask for loads of favors, and you can’t say no.” Brand’s quip about not wanting to be “Diddy’s bitch” takes on a darker edge now.
Why It’s Buzzing
Diddy’s detained, facing trial May 5 for serious crimes—racketeering, sex trafficking, prostitution-related charges. Meanwhile, old videos of him with a teenage Bieber are resurfacing, fueling speculation about their past. Brand’s own legal mess—he’s charged with sexual assault, due in court May 2—adds a twist, but he’s leaning into the chaos, tying it to Bieber’s decline. Fans on X are split: some see it as a stretch, others nod at the “industry machine” angle.
I met Justin Bieber at the Grammys when I was with Katy Perry, and we had an ongoing joke about adopting him and all his subsidiary rights.
Only now do I realize that Diddy may have been exploiting him, and that changes how I feel about that joke! pic.twitter.com/AHa3sXwhHQ
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) April 5, 2025
