Trigger Warning: This article contains references to suicide, rape and sexual abuse.
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died on October 16, once described an uncomfortable encounter with hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs.
In a 2016 interview with Australian radio station KIIS FM, Liam recalled “the most daunting celebrity experience” of his life. He described how he approached Diddy at a star-studded event, only to be met with an unexpected reaction that left him embarrassed.
Liam described approaching Diddy, Jay-Z, and Leonardo DiCaprio, trying to introduce himself. “I went over to speak to him and Jay-Z, and as I shook his hand, he just chuckled… the most evil laugh I’ve ever heard,” he said.
He stated that the reaction made him feel intimidated. “So, I’m a little bit fearful of that man,” Liam joked. He also stated that of the three celebrities present, he thought Diddy would be the most approachable. “I thought P. Diddy was a safe bet,” he said, but he soon realized he had misread the situation.
Liam’s awkward interaction with Diddy wasn’t a one-time story. He repeated the story in another appearance on The Graham Norton Show, where he appeared alongside David Walliams and Salma Hayek. In that retelling, he shared how embarrassing the incident had been and how he felt he had “missed the mark a little bit” in approaching Diddy.
It is unclear when and where this encounter occurred, but it was clear from Liam’s storytelling that the moment left a lasting impression on him. The singer’s playful recounting of the event was often met with laughter from both the audience and other guests.
On October 16, Liam Payne tragically passed away after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Emergency responders found the body on the hotel’s interior patio. Hotel workers had contacted 911 to report that a guest was behaving aggressively and maybe under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The hotel manager reported hearing a loud noise from the back of the building and notified authorities. When paramedics and police came, they found Liam’s body. The tragic news shocked fans around the world, especially given Liam’s openness about his struggles with mental health and addiction.
As fans mourn Liam Payne’s death, hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs, the subject of Liam’s celebrity encounter story, is dealing with his own issues.
Diddy is being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center pending trial on various federal charges. He is charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
Diddy has pled not guilty to all charges, and his requests for bail have been denied three times. The legal case has added further complexity to Diddy’s public image, especially as his past encounters, like the one with Liam Payne, resurface in light of recent events.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
