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Diddy’s Courtroom Comedy: Why He’s Begging the Sketch Artist to Make Him Look Less Koala, More King of Hip-Hop!

Added on June 7, 2025 inCelebrity News Cards

So, picture this: Sean “Diddy” Combs, sitting in court during his sex trafficking trial, is not exactly thrilled with how one of the courtroom sketch artists captured his visage. In the spirit of Mercury retrograde, where communication often goes sideways and appearances can be deceiving, Diddy actually asked the artist to “soften me up a bit,” complaining that the sketch made him look like a koala bear. Yes, you read that right! While the jury has been engulfed in heavy testimony against the rapper, he’s been closely watching — and subtly influencing — how court proceedings get visually documented. Interestingly enough, another sketch artist earned a rare nod of approval from Diddy’s mother, adding a dash of family drama to the artistic critique. As the trial unfolds with witnesses including his former partner and notable figures like Kid Cudi, the courtroom becomes its own peculiar stage — complete with sticky notes flying and defense strategies crafted on the fly. Is this just courtroom theatrics, or is there a deeper cosmic alignment making sure Diddy’s trial gets all the drama it can? Either way, the stars (and the sketches) are definitely in motion. LEARN MORE.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has expressed his dissatisfaction with a courtroom sketch of him during his sex trafficking trial on Thursday.

For weeks, the jury has been listening to testimony from Diddy’s alleged victims, associates, and witnesses, while the rapper observes from the defense section.

During these proceedings, courtroom sketches of Sean “Diddy” Combs are drawn by artists, one of whom reportedly received a subtle nod of approval from Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs.

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The Rapper Feels The Sketch Artist Is Making Him Look Like A ‘Koala Bear’

Diddy arrives at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA

On Thursday’s hearing of Diddy’s sex crimes trial, the rapper made a request to the courtroom sketch artist, Jane Rosenberg, that showed he was displeased with how she had captured him.

The incident reportedly happened while the jury was out for a break, and it is unclear whether Rosenberg issued a response to the music mogul when he made the weird request.

Rosenberg is one of the artists who have been covering the rapper’s trial since it began in May.

Her services, and those of others like her, have been invaluable for documenting the proceedings, as the judge’s ruling prohibited the televising of the trial and banned all attendees from taking photos, making recordings, or livestreaming.

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A Different Sketch Artist Received Praise From Diddy’s Mother

Diddy and his mom Janice Combs at the 2023 Video Music Awards
MEGA

While Rosenberg got criticized by the embattled rapper, another courtroom sketch artist, Christine Cornell, previously claimed she received a “thumbs-up” from Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs, when she drew her during one of the proceedings.

“Puffy Combs’ mom is sitting behind me, and she tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a thumbs-up,” Cornell recalled the scene during her appearance on Dateline’s True Crime Weekly podcast, per US Weekly.

She added, “She likes the way I’m drawing her son. I said, ‘Well, ma’am, do you mind if I draw you?’ She, right away, started posing for me.”

Cornell also claimed that people have been drawn to her sketches, which range between three and six each day of the trial.

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“You want to have a really accurate drawing that really resembles them, and you want to capture a little bit of the dynamic of the courtroom,” the artist further remarked. “For the most part, I get a lot of affirmation.”

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What Is Diddy On Trial For?

Sean "Diddy" Combs at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards
MEGA

Diddy is being tried on five felony charges, namely racketeering conspiracy,  two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

He was initially facing just single counts of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, but the extra two counts were added in a superseding indictment in April.

Last month, Diddy’s legal team pushed for a mistrial, arguing that federal prosecutors had crossed a line during their questioning of one of the witnesses.

According to the defense, prosecutors unfairly hinted that Combs had a hand in covering up key evidence tied to the arson case involving Kid Cudi’s vehicle.

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However, the motion received a quick shutdown from Judge Arun Subramanian, who said that “absolutely no testimony from the witness was prejudicial in any way, shape, or form.”

If Diddy is found guilty of all of the charges, he faces the possibility of living the rest of his life in prison.

Names Of Some Of The Witnesses That Have Testified In The Trial

Diddy and Cassie at the 2017 Met Gala
MEGA

Since the trial began, several witnesses have taken the stand to testify against Diddy. One of the most prominent is his former partner, singer and actress Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura.

During her testimony, Cassie spoke extensively about years of alleged abuse by the rapper, including graphic details about the now-infamous “freak-offs,” which she claimed she was often forced to participate in without consent.

Her mother, Regina Ventura, was also called to testify and supported many of her daughter’s allegations.

Rapper Kid Cudi, who previously dated Cassie in 2011, also took the stand. He recalled the disturbing incident when his car was firebombed, an event believed to be linked to his brief relationship with Cassie.

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Other witnesses have included singer Dawn Richard, Cassie’s former best friend and roommate Kerry Morgan, and makeup artist Mylah Morales, all of whom spoke about instances of Diddy’s allegedly assaulting Cassie.

Diddy Has Been Very Helpful To His Defense Team During His Trial

Diddy posing on the red carpet.
MEGA

Diddy has reportedly adopted the position of a “quarterback” to his lineup of well-paid attorneys and has seemingly shaken off the early nerves he felt in the courtroom during the trial.

According to the Daily Mail, he has been seen passing dozens of sticky notes to his lawyers, intensely questioning them during breaks, and suggesting they bring in different evidence, and has generally used his memories to bolster his lawyers’ tactics.

“He was there, he remembers exactly what happened: nobody knows more about Diddy’s life than he does,” a source told the news outlet. “He’s very involved and he’s on top of things because he knows his life is on the line.”

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