June 22, 2025

Sunday 6/22 SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE. The Media Circus: Diddy, Celebrity Trials, and the Court of Public Opinion

Sunday 6/22 SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE. The Media Circus: Diddy, Celebrity Trials, and the Court of Public Opinion

With the Diddy trial on pause, Nate Oliver dives into the spectacle outside the courthouse—where cameras, livestreamers, and hashtags shape the story as much as any witness. From TikTok sleuths to tabloid leaks, Nate unpacks how media coverage, public demonstrations, and viral moments influence not just the headlines, but the very course of justice. Comparing Diddy’s case to the media frenzies around O.J. Simpson, Harvey Weinstein, and R. Kelly, this episode explores the double-edged sword of fame, the risks of “trial by media,” and why, in the age of social platforms, the battle for public opinion can be as fierce as the fight in the courtroom

To become a premium subscriber (no ads and no feed drops) visit caloroga.com/plus.   For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which seays UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. You also get 25+ other shows on the network ad-free!  

Join the Celebrity Trials community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Celebrity Trials Podcast" on either platform. You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Reid Carter's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.


But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.


We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Reid's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.


WEBVTT

1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:13.439
Callaroga Shark Media. Welcome back to Did He Do It?

2
00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.960
The Daily podcast bringing you every raw, unfiltered detail from

3
00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:21.280
the Sean Ditty Combs Trial and the spectacle that's grown

4
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:26.039
around it. I'm Nate Oliver, and with the courtroom dark

5
00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.399
for Juneteenth and just a half day session on Friday,

6
00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:32.840
let's pull back the curtain and talk about the media circus.

7
00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.240
How celebrity trials like Ditties are shaped by the cameras,

8
00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.799
the live streams, the social feeds, and the crowd outside

9
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:43.920
the courthouse. Every morning before the judge even takes the bench.

10
00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:48.159
The scene outside five hundred Pearl Street is electric. There

11
00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:50.840
are the network news vans, the legacy press with their

12
00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:54.840
umbrellas and notepads, and now a new breed of live streamers,

13
00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.840
TikTokers and YouTubers who've turned the steps of the courthouse

14
00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:02.759
into their own broadcast studio. Some are there for the story,

15
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.159
others for the spectacle, and more than a few are

16
00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:07.879
there to go viral. It's a far cry from the

17
00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:10.680
days when the OJ Simpson trial ruled the airwaves, but

18
00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:14.480
in many ways it's the same old drama, just with

19
00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:19.560
faster technology and a million more voices. Inside, the impact

20
00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:24.359
is unmistakable. Reporters and influencers rush to post every twist

21
00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:26.400
the moment their phones are returned at the end of

22
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:30.840
the day, social media explodes with hashtags, hot takes, and clips,

23
00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:34.920
sometimes before the lawyers have even finished their closing arguments.

24
00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:39.040
The result is a real time global conversation where everyone's

25
00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:43.359
upundit and the line between reporting and opinion blurs fast.

26
00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:46.280
You see it in the way the ditty trial trends

27
00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:49.920
on Twitter every afternoon, or how a single TikTok can

28
00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.519
rack up hundreds of thousands of views dissecting a witness's

29
00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:57.120
body language or the judge's tone. But this isn't just

30
00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:01.799
about clicks and views. The media's influence runs deep, shaping

31
00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:04.640
not only what the public thinks, but what the jurors

32
00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:07.640
might feel. No matter how many times the judge tells

33
00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:11.000
them to avoid coverage, Studies show that even the most

34
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:15.240
well meaning jurors can't completely shut out the world. Social media,

35
00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:19.719
especially creates echo chambers and viral narratives that can reinforce groupthink,

36
00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:24.879
polarize opinions, and sometimes even intimidate those inside the courtroom.

37
00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.120
The Johnny Depp versus Amber Herd trial, for example, became

38
00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:32.879
a TikTok sensation, with memes and commentary, arguably shaping the

39
00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:36.800
public's verdict before the juries. The same thing happened with

40
00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:40.360
Gwyneth Paltrow's Ski trial, where her wellness routines and courtroom

41
00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:43.520
fashion became part of the story, not just the facts

42
00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:49.240
of the case. Outside, protesters and supporters clash, holding up

43
00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:53.800
signs for justice or waving banners for Ditty's innocence. Every

44
00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:56.280
time a big witness arrives, there's a scrum of cameras

45
00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.479
and microphones, and when Ditty's mother leaves the building, it's

46
00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:02.800
a friends of shouts and live streams, sometimes crossing the

47
00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:06.759
line between reporting and harassment. The courthouse plaza isn't just

48
00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:09.560
a place for news. It's a stage and everyone's performing.

49
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.919
And then there's the question of fairness. Trial by media

50
00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.120
isn't just a phrase. It's a real risk. When a

51
00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:20.719
case is this public, the pressure on everyone involved ratchets up.

52
00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:23.680
Lawyers have to manage not just the judge and jury,

53
00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:27.560
but the court of public opinion. Sometimes the media spotlight

54
00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.000
uncovers hidden evidence or pressure's a settlement, but it can

55
00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:34.840
also twist facts, amplify rumors and make it impossible for

56
00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:37.639
a defendant or a victim to ever fully clear their name.

57
00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.199
The Casey Anthony trial, the Amanda Knox case, even Michael

58
00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:45.599
Jackson's courtroom battles all were shaped by the glare of

59
00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:50.240
the cameras and the relentless churn of headlines. Sometimes celebrities

60
00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:53.360
get sympathy and the benefit of the doubt. Other times,

61
00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:56.360
the public is out for blood and no verdict will

62
00:03:56.360 --> 00:04:00.879
ever satisfy everyone. It's a double edged sword. On one hand,

63
00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:05.039
fame can buy better lawyers, more resources, and a platform

64
00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:09.360
to sway public perception. On the other, it brings scrutiny

65
00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:13.360
that can be psychologically brutal, with every move dissected, in

66
00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:17.560
every pass mistake dragged into the light. Jurors are human.

67
00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.959
They might feel awe, envy, or resentment toward a celebrity defendant.

68
00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:27.279
Sometimes that means a lighter touch, Sometimes it means holding

69
00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:29.800
them to a higher standard, expecting them to be role

70
00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:34.480
models or scapegoats. Research shows that, if anything, celebrities are

71
00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:38.519
convicted at a slightly higher rate than non celebrities, but

72
00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:42.279
the real impact is in the unpredictability and the spectacle.

73
00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.399
The Didty trial is a perfect example of how the

74
00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:49.680
media landscape has changed. Thirty years ago, the OJ Simpson

75
00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:53.759
trial was a television event, with every moment broadcast live

76
00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:57.920
and analyzed by a handful of talking heads. Today, the

77
00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:02.480
Ditty trial unfolds across hundreds of social platforms, with influencers,

78
00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:06.680
independent journalists, and ordinary people all adding their voices to

79
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.560
the mix. Sometimes the mainstream media is playing catch up

80
00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.480
as live streamers and YouTubers break news and shape the

81
00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:16.759
narrative in real time. The result is a trial that's

82
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:19.600
as much about the battle for public opinion as it

83
00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:22.560
is about the facts in the courtroom. And it's not

84
00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:26.480
just the Ditty trial. Harvey Weinstein's retrial happened just blocks away,

85
00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:29.800
but it's Ditty who's dominating the headlines and the hashtags.

86
00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:34.079
The me Too movement, which exploded into public consciousness with

87
00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:38.000
the Weinstein case, is now being debated and dissected all

88
00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:41.519
over again, this time with hip hop and celebrity culture

89
00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:45.839
in the spotlight. Survivors and advocates worry about backlash and

90
00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:50.040
narrative control, while Ditty's supporters argue that he's being tried

91
00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:53.639
in the court of public opinion before the jury ever

92
00:05:53.720 --> 00:06:06.519
gets to deliberate more in a moment. If you want selacious,

93
00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:10.120
you don't have to look far. Every day, the tabloids

94
00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:13.519
and gossip blogs churn out new stories about Ditty's alleged parties,

95
00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.399
the guest lists, the wild nights at the Trump International,

96
00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.120
or the infamous freak off suites. There are rumors about

97
00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:24.480
who's been subpoenaed, who's been spotted sneaking into the courthouse,

98
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:28.560
and who's been quietly cooperating with the feds. Social media

99
00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:32.480
detectives pour over every blurry photo and leaked text, speculating

100
00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:34.879
about who the next bombshell witness might be or what's

101
00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:38.360
hidden in those sealed court filings. The Daily Mail runs

102
00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:42.040
side by side photos of Ditty's xes, while TMZ posts

103
00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.439
videos of Kanye West showing up in support, and Page

104
00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.439
six breathlessly reports on which celebrities have unfollowed Ditty this week.

105
00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:53.920
Even the courtroom sketches become viral fodder. One day it's

106
00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:57.120
Ditty slumped at the defense table. Another day it's Jane

107
00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:01.240
in tears or the judge glaring over his glasses. People

108
00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:05.319
analyze the outfits, the body language, the smallest gestures. Did

109
00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:07.759
did he wink at the jury was that a smirk

110
00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:10.800
or a grimace. Did a witness just roll her eyes

111
00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:15.000
at the prosecutor? TikTokers turn these moments into memes, and

112
00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:17.600
suddenly the trial is as much about the spectacle as

113
00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:21.839
the substance. And let's not forget the leaks. Every few days,

114
00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:25.759
a new exclusive surfaces. Maybe it's a snippet from a

115
00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.399
sealed deposition, a rumor about a secret settlement, or a

116
00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:34.639
leaked video clip that's not supposed to be public. Sometimes

117
00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:38.120
these leaks are strategic, meant to sway public opinion or

118
00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:41.720
rattle the other side. Other Times they're just the result

119
00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:44.600
of too many people with too much access and too

120
00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:48.120
little impulse control. Either way, they feed the beast and

121
00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:52.279
the story grows bigger, wilder, and harder to control. Meanwhile,

122
00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.920
the people at the center of the storm, Jane, Cassie

123
00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:58.360
Mia the other accusers, are living their trauma in public.

124
00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:03.120
Every detail of their testimony is dissected, doubted, or weaponized.

125
00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.319
Online supporters rally to their side, but trolls and skeptics

126
00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:11.759
are relentless. For survivors, the media circus can be a

127
00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:15.399
second trial, one that never really ends. For Ditty, the

128
00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:20.560
scrutiny is unrelenting. Every old interview, every pass lawsuit, every

129
00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:23.480
rumor about his parties or his business dealings is dredged

130
00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:26.959
up and re examined. His defenders say he's being targeted

131
00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:29.959
because of his fame and wealth, while critics argue that

132
00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.159
his celebrity has shielded him for too long. The truth is,

133
00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.080
in a case like this, there's no escaping the spotlight.

134
00:08:36.679 --> 00:08:40.039
The judge tries to keep the proceedings fair, warning jurors

135
00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:43.200
to avoid coverage and scolding lawyers for playing to the cameras,

136
00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:46.559
but everyone knows the real trial is happening in the

137
00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.440
court of public opinion. When the verdict comes, it won't

138
00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.879
just be about guilt or innocence. It'll be about whose

139
00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:56.279
story the world believes and whose voice was loudest. So

140
00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.000
as the trial pauses and the city catches its breath. Remember,

141
00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:04.360
justice is supposed to be blind, but in the age

142
00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:09.360
of the media circus, it's never deaf. The cameras, the hashtags,

143
00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:13.440
the crowds, they're all part of the story. Now, when

144
00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:16.279
court resumes, the battle for public opinion will be raging

145
00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:19.600
right alongside the fight for a verdict. That's where we

146
00:09:19.639 --> 00:09:22.360
stand as the trial takes a break, I'll be back

147
00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:26.240
tomorrow for Week eight, with every new twist, every legal battle,

148
00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:30.679
and every rumor from inside and outside the courthouse. I'm

149
00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:32.799
Nate Oliver and this is did he do it?