Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is serving four years in federal prison for using prostitutes in “freak-offs,” is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in connection with new allegations of sexual assault. A record producer alleges Combs assaulted him on two occasions.
The sheriff’s Special Victims Unit initiated the probe because one of the incidents occurred in East Los Angeles, according to Nicole Nishida, a department spokeswoman. The producer reported the incidents to police in Largo, Fla.
Florida-based music producer John Hay revealed in media interviews that he was the “John Doe” plaintiff from a civil lawsuit filed in July alleging assault.
The producer, who was not named by law enforcement investigating the allegations, alleged he was subjected to sex acts in 2020 and 2021 while working on a remix project of music by Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. Christopher Wallace, which put him into contact with Bad Boy Records and company executive Combs.
A spokesman for Combs did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on the investigation.
The lawsuit states that, in December 2020, the producer was at a warehouse in Los Angeles that housed some of Notorious B.I.G.’s clothing. The items were being donated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later that year, when Biggie would eventually be inducted.
Combs “provided drugs to everyone present. Everyone there was running around the warehouse and tripping on the drugs,” the lawsuit alleges. Combs “started watching porn on his cell phone, grabbed one of Biggie’s shirts off a rack, and began to masturbate with it in front of the plaintiff,” the suit states.
Combs subsequently threw the shirt over the producer’s lap and arm, laughed and said “Rest in peace, Biggie” before leaving the room.
In an incident in March 2021, the plaintiff claims that he was set up. He states in the lawsuit he was lured to a meeting by Biggie’s son, Christopher “CJ” Wallace Jr., and music producer Willie Mack.
But upon his arrival, his head was covered, and Combs appeared and began yelling and ordered everyone to leave, the lawsuit alleges. Combs then allegedly attempted “to force plaintiff to perform oral copulation on Combs, while plaintiff’s head was still covered.”
“I’m pushing for criminal charges to be filed against Combs at a state and federal level,” Hay told ShockYa earlier this month in an interview where he stated he was the civil suit plaintiff.
According to a police report first obtained last month by People magazine, Hay reported the allegations on Sept. 20 of this year to Largo, Fla., police.
Gary Dordick, the producer’s lawyer, said “we intend to present out client’s case to a jury in California and we are confident that the truth will prevail.” Dordick said in a message to The Times that he would not comment further given that a defamation lawsuit was filed last week by Wallace.
Wallace, the son of Biggie Smalls and singer Faith Evans, sued Hay for defamation in a Florida federal court last week, calling Hay’s recent interviews “a calculated smear campaign” that included false statements that he attended Combs’ so-called freak-off parties and “conspired to lure Hay to a location where Combs purportedly assaulted him.”
An attorney for Mack could not immediately be reached for comment.
Wallace says in his defamation action that Hay worked on the remix project, titled “Ready to Dance,” with Wallace and Mack in 2020. A single was released, but the remaining songs were not, due to a lack of interest.
According to the suit, Hay was upset over the decision not to release the music he worked on and began accusing Mack of “inappropriate and abusive behavior” in 2021. But Hay never made an assault allegation, the suit claims.
Combs is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dixon, a New Jersey low-security federal penitentiary.
When Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged last month in a federal sex-trafficking probe, it unleashed a wave of lawsuits detailing how the music industry mogul allegedly drugged and assaulted men and women for years undeterred.
But the piecemeal allegations leveled in the criminal and civil cases stopped short of answering an essential question that’s been hinted at by attorneys, investigators and internet sleuths: Who else was involved?
This week, for the first time, celebrities other than Combs have been accused in civil lawsuits of participating in assaults during parties hosted by the Bad Boy Records founder. The stars, however, have not been identified by name.
A federal lawsuit filed this week in the Southern District of New York involves a woman, identified as Jane Doe, who says she was 13 when she was raped by Combs and a male celebrity, identified only as Celebrity A, while a female celebrity, referred to as Celebrity B in court papers, watched.
The woman alleges in the legal filing that the night of Sept. 7, 2000, began with her outside Radio City Music Hall in New York City, trying to talk her way into the Video Music Awards. She approached several limousine drivers, including one who claimed to work for Combs, she said.
“He told her that Combs liked younger girls and she ‘fit what Diddy was looking for,’” the lawsuit states. The driver invited her to an afterparty and told her to return later that night.
When she did, the driver took her to a large white house with a gated U-shaped driveway and, once inside, she was told to sign a nondisclosure agreement, the suit says. A luxurious party was unfolding inside. Waitstaff carried trays of drinks, loud music blasted throughout the house and partygoers were snorting cocaine and using marijuana, according to the lawsuit.
After finishing one drink — a concoction of orange juice, cranberry juice and something bitter — she says she began to feel lightheaded and found an empty bedroom to rest. Combs walked into the room with two celebrities. He approached her “with a crazed look in his eyes, grabbed her and said ‘You are ready to party!’” the lawsuit states.
The unnamed male celebrity raped the girl, while Combs and the unidentified female celebrity allegedly watched. Combs then raped the girl as the other two celebrities watched, according to the lawsuit.
Combs’ attorneys denied the latest allegations in a statement.
“The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded [Sunday’s] barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity,” they said. “Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone — adult or minor, man or woman.”
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing more than 100 people who say they were victimized by Combs, has previously vowed to name celebrities who had been involved in the alleged sexual abuse. He said during a news conference last month that the names contained in the suits would “shock.”
“Many of you came here thinking or hoping or perhaps believing that I may start naming names,” Buzbee said last month. “That day will come, but it won’t be today.”
But it hasn’t happened.
Several sources involved in representing Hollywood A-listers told The Times they feared their clients being implicated even by mere association with Combs. Many have clients who went to Combs’ parties.
Buzbee, they allege, is playing on the fear of implication. The Texas-based attorney has already claimed to have made deals with “a handful” of notable individuals who could be linked to Combs.
Buzbee did not return a phone call from The Times seeking additional comment.
David Ring, who has represented sex crime survivors in some of California’s biggest cases, said that not naming celebrities who may have been involved in wrongdoing gives the victims’ lawyers leverage to negotiate settlements.
“If they are publicly identified, the celebrity will likely dig in and deny all charges and fight until the end,” he said. “However, if they are given the opportunity to quickly settle and prevent their name from ever being announced publicly, many of them will jump at that opportunity.”
In another lawsuit Buzbee filed this week against Combs, a personal trainer identified only as John Doe alleges he was drugged and forced to perform oral sex on an unnamed male celebrity during an awards show afterparty at Combs’ house in the Hollywood Hills in June 2022.
“While in and out of consciousness, individuals at the party forced Plaintiff into sexual acts with both men and woman. Plaintiff’s physical disposition made it impossible for him to reject their advances or otherwise control his body. These individuals, including Combs, essentially passed Plaintiff’s drugged body around like a party favor for their sexual enjoyment,” the lawsuit states.
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ordered Buzbee this week to file a motion seeking to allow the personal trainer to proceed in the case using a pseudonym. He also required a declaration to be filed under seal “disclosing his identity and the identity of any party that is not named in the complaint to the court.”
Combs, 54, remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied multiple abuse claims that have been outlined in at least 18 civil lawsuits filed against him in the past year.
The criminal case laid out by federal prosecutors alleged an extensive network that would have required multiple people to recruit victims, organize the sex performances called “freak-offs,” clean up and cover tracks to avoid outside scrutiny.
“Combs did not do this all on his own,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in announcing the charges. “He used his business and employees of that business and other close associates to get his way.”
Federal prosecutors said early this month that Combs may face a superseding indictment that would open the door to more charges for Combs and possibly other defendants.
Federal authorities possess “several terabytes of electronic data from Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs” and his empire as part of the sex trafficking and racketeering prosecution of the 54-year-old hip-hop mogul who was arrested last month, officials said.
The “voluminous” amount of data taken during discovery in the sweeping sex abuse and racketeering case against Combs was revealed in a letter filed by the U.S Atty. for the Southern District of New York and comes as Combs’ lawyers are making a third bid to get him released from a Brooklyn jail on $50 million in bonds.
The data came from more than 40 electronic devices and five cloud storage services associated with Combs. Prosecutors say they continue to seek even more data as part of the investigation. Combs’ lawyers are pushing back, demanding copies of the seized data.
In a filing with the court, Combs’ legal team also questioned how information from the grand jury indictment of Combs for sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution was leaked.
“At some point today, Mr. Combs intends to file a motion for a hearing and other remedies related to unauthorized and prejudicial leaks of grand jury information,” his lawyers noted in the filing.
Combs is accused of using his entertainment empire since as far back as 2009 to lure female victims and use violence, coercion and drugs to get women to take part in what were known as “freak off” parties — elaborate sex performances that often were recorded and sometimes lasted days. Prosecutors allege the music icon’s business network was ultimately about furthering his criminal conduct. Combs has denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that during search warrants, Homeland Security Investigations seized “several terabytes of electronic material” from cellphones, laptops, tablets, hard drives, and cloud service accounts as well as business records and physical evidence as part of its investigation into the alleged decades-long sex trafficking and forced sexual acts in the sex parties.
Federal prosecutors say they are still “copying over forty devices and the other five iCloud reports belonging to the defendant, which is expected to take several days due to the volume of the materials.”
Prosecutors told the court that their forensic team is working “expediently as possible since their seizure,” and expects to turn over the data in discovery to Combs’ attorneys “on a rolling basis by the end of the year.”
Combs lawyers, however, say they intend “to ask the Court to require the government to immediately produce certain categories of information – namely, copies of Mr. Combs’ electronic devices that were seized over six months ago.”
“The government also seized additional devices belonging to Mr. Combs at the time of his arrest about three weeks ago,” Combs’ lawyers said in the filing. “We also understand that the government is only now beginning to review and copy these electronic devices, including those that were seized in March 2024.”
Combs’ lawyers reiterated Wednesday said they want a trial as soon as possible. “Mr. Combs continues to assert his right to a speedy trial and intends to request a trial date in April or May 2025,” they told the judge.
The investigation involves more than 50 witnesses and 300 warrants all of which unfolded since last fall, when Combs’ former girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a lawsuit against him alleging sex abuse and sex trafficking. Combs settled the suit with significant payout within 24 hours, according to his lawyers.
Something strange happened during the lead-up to Noche UFC, the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day. For the first time since becoming interested in MMA during the McGregor era and falling in love with the sport during the pandemic, I skipped all of my UFC fight week traditions. I hadn’t tuned in to a single episode of Embedded, nor did I watch the press conference on Thursday or the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday. And I certainly didn’t have my usual “one more sleep” jitters heading into Saturday. What’s clear to me now is my lack of enthusiasm was the result of the sort of uncertainty that leads to reservation rather than curiosity.
Almost everything about Saturday night’s card left me and other fans scratching our heads going into it, starting with its hodgepodge of a name: UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche UFC. And then there was the star of the promotional buildup. No, not the homegrown, hype-machine-manufactured Sean O’Malley, and not even Mexico’s own Alexa Grasso, but rather The Sphere (or simply “Sphere,” as it was referred to throughout the broadcast). A Mexican-inspired Fight Night that somehow became a numbered pay-per-view presented by a Saudi Arabian festival series, boasting an arena as its main attraction, left me with questions that couldn’t be answered by the sights and sounds of a typical fight week. Instead, those questions were answered by the standard brilliance of the most production-savvy combat sports promotion this side of WWE.
When it was initially reported the cheapest seat in the house would cost over $2,000, I wondered if more impassioned Mexican and Mexican-American fight fans would be priced out in favor of casuals with cushy salaries and corporate credit cards. That concern was quieted once I heard the crowd pop for Raúl Rosas Jr. as he walked toward the octagon ahead of the night’s first prelim. I did my best Irish accent and asked who da fook is dat guy when I found out four fighters I’d never heard of were opening the main card. Lo and behold, those were the two most entertaining bouts of the evening, with Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber earning Fight of the Night bonuses that could have just as easily gone to Ronaldo Rodríguez and Ode’ Osbourne. And, as Sean O’Malley took issue with himself at one point, I noted with interest, which soon soured into ambivalence, that the event’s venue was being promoted more heavily than the then-bantamweight champion at the top of its billing. I don’t know about him, but I understood why that was by the end of the night, as the suspense surrounding what a sporting event at The Sphere might look like paid off more abundantly than the one-way drubbing most educated fans correctly predicted he’d receive in the main event.
But above all, the main question I had before last night was why did the UFC’s first and potentially only appearance at The Sphere need to be on Mexican Independence Day? As Noche UFC neared, my thinking was that, presumably, an event headlined by the eventual return of either Conor McGregor or Jon Jones would have made for a greater pop cultural spectacle, International Fight Week would have led to less complicated branding, and UFC 300, which fans and pundits also made the mistake of underestimating, would have allowed for a deeper card. Again, the event itself convinced me of its merits in a way that no moment on Embedded or confrontation at a press conference could have prepared me for.
No alternative I had in mind for a more appropriate Sphere card would have resulted in the breathtaking storytelling of Noche UFC. The six interstitials produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Carlos López Estrada’s Antigravity Academy made perfect use of The Sphere’s immersive capabilities, transporting audiences throughout Mexican history with images that inspired awe even through a TV screen. Ancient civilizations, heroic freedom fighters, spiritual traditions, iconic combat athletes, and the virtues of Mexican culture were all honored with Lucasesque light and magic. Eight first- and second-generation Mexican Octagon Girls strutted between rounds wearing stunning costumes inspired by their shared heritage.
The main event notwithstanding, the fights themselves lived up the pageantry of the night in ways only the drama of high-level MMA could, especially when booked in celebration of a culture’s fighting spirit. Minutes after a short film told the story of Indigenous warriors, the earliest people to fight for the land now known as Mexico, Mexican flyweight Ronaldo Rodriguez escaped two near-completed submissions and persevered his way to a unanimous decision over Ode’ Osbourne. Right after that, Mexico City-born Daniel Zellhuber battled Argentina’s Esteban Ribovics with the breakneck pace of a Street Fighter button-mashing, losing on the cards but winning over fans like me who were watching him compete for the first time. And despite a lackluster performance from former Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso, I found myself on the edge of my seat seemingly once per round, attempting to will a tap from Valentina Shevchenko into existence.
Similar to 300 before it, there are images from UFC 306 that’ll be etched in my brain for the rest of my fandom; thrilling moments I would have never predicted when comparing the names on the card to the hyperbolic hype that preceded it.
I don’t know if Noche UFC turned out to be “the greatest sporting event of all time,” as UFC CEO Dana White promised in July. In his post-fight press availability, White admitted himself it’d be up to the public to decide if the night lived up to that claim. In general, I’m a bit allergic to making statements that grand. But what I will confess is Noche UFC was the most impressively produced televised sporting event I’ve seen with my own two eyes–better than any Super Bowl, NBA Finals, or WrestleMania I’ve ever watched.
It was a spectacle I couldn’t quite convince myself to anticipate, but one that I’ll never forget. If you’re still with me, scroll or click through the following photos for a look at what made the night so memorable.
Howard University trustees on Friday voted to rescind an honorary degree granted to Sean “Diddy” Combs, citing a recently surfaced video of the hip-hop mogul repeatedly attacking Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Trustees of the Washington, D.C., university also disbanded a scholarship in Combs’ name and terminated a 2016 “gift agreement” in which Combs had contributed $1 million through his foundation, according to a university statement. His foundation’s future financial pledges have also been canceled.
The university, which Combs attended, said the vote “to accept the return … of the honorary degree conferred upon him in 2014” was unanimous.
“Mr. Combs’ behavior as captured in a recently released video is so fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs that he is deemed no longer worthy to hold the institution’s highest honor,” the statement continued. “The university is unwavering in its opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence.”
Friday’s decision is the latest setback for Combs, and comes as federal prosecutors in New York are considering whether a Homeland Security Investigations probe into alleged sex trafficking should result in criminal charges.
In the 2016 video, obtained and published by CNN last month, Combs is seen chasing, kicking, dragging and hurling a glass vase at Ventura, who was his girlfriend at the time. The video seemed to confirm at least some of the physical abuse allegations against the singer detailed in a lawsuit filed in November — accusations Combs had denied.
That lawsuit was settled a day after it was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In it, Ventura alleged that Combs “became extremely intoxicated and punched” her in the face, “giving her a black eye” during an attack in March 2016.
In a video statement posted on Instagram days after the video’s release, Combs said, “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
“I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” he added. “I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”
Federal prosecutors are preparing grand jury subpoenas for witnesses to testify in the sex-trafficking investigation against Combs, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Investigators have already interviewed several witnesses and told them to be prepared to testify, the source said, though it remains unclear when that testimony will occur or how far federal officials are in determining whether to bring charges. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing.
Combs has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing. The probe was launched after three women, including Ventura, accused him of rape, assault and other abuses dating back three decades.
In March, investigators searching Combs’ Holmby Hills mansion emptied safes, dismantled electronics and left papers strewn in some rooms, sources told The Times.
Combs’ lawyers have strongly criticized the federal probe, calling the searches of his homes “militarized” and a “witch hunt.”
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He was convicted not only of sex trafficking but also of racketeering — charges that specify a person’s “enterprise” was used to carry out criminal conduct.
Sean “Diddy” Combs now faces a similar federal investigation, though the accusations against him are significantly different and it remains unclear whether they will result in criminal charges.
Authorities have said little about the probe. But law enforcement sources have confirmed to The Times that Combs is under investigation for sex-trafficking tied at least in part to civil lawsuits filed by several women who have accused him of misconduct.
Combs has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorneys have slammed the investigation as unwarranted.
After federal agents searched the artist’s homes in Florida and Los Angeles several weeks ago, his attorney decried a “premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs” and said the investigation “is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
Still, previous high-profile sex-trafficking cases could offer a window into how the feds typically build a case and can provide clues into what officials would need to bring charges.
“The playbook for these types of cases is R. Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein, Larry Ray and NXIVM’s founder Keith Raniere,” said Elizabeth Geddes, who delivered a six-hour closing argument in Kelly’s conviction.
Since then, three other women have sued Combs, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking, assault and other abuses. One of the allegations involved a minor. A male producer also has sued him over unwanted sexual contact.
Geddes, who is not involved in the Combs case, said she believes Ventura might have been the trigger for the federal investigation.
She said the docuseries about Kelly spurred the Eastern District of New York to act — and that type of high-level investigation often requires an outside catalyst. In Kelly’s case, he had been acquitted in 2008 and as a result, many of his accusers lost confidence in law enforcement. But the documentary re-engaged authorities.
“Nothing puts pressure on law enforcement like a front-page story on the major newspaper in the city,” Geddes said.
Combs’ investigation, led by Homeland Security, is several months old, according to sources, and many connected to the case — including accusers and alleged witnesses — have already been interviewed.
Geddes said Homeland Security Investigations also worked the Kelly case, and its agents tend to have years of experience working with sex-trafficking victims.
She said sex trafficking requires either “force, fraud or coercion to cause a person to engage in a commercial sex act” or the trafficking of minors under 18.
“There is no statute of limitations,” Geddes said, and the key law enacted in the 2000s applies to acts from 2001 forward.
Geddes said that in addition to the sex charges against Kelly, she and her colleagues secured a racketeering indictment against the singer. The charge has famously been applied to mob bosses like John Gotti and James “Whitey” Bulger.
In racketeering cases, Geddes said, the “enterprise” carries out illegal conduct and prosecutors seek to show a broader pattern of conduct that stretches over years and involves many participants. A racketeering case also allows multiple victims’ narratives in one trial.
A law enforcement agent carries a bag of evidence as federal agents stand at the entrance to a property belonging to Sean “Diddy” Combs in Miami on March 25.
(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)
But it is unclear what evidence the feds have against Combs and whether there is enough to bring charges.
Few details are available, other than sources saying investigators left his two homes with electronics, data devices and other records.
Legal experts have told The Times that evidence in sex-trafficking cases must be extensive as such charges can be hard to prove.
“Sex trafficking for adults usually involves some sort of coercion or other restraints,” L.A. defense attorney Dmitry Gorin said. Prosecutors would need to show you “encouraged somebody to engage in sexual activity for money or some other inducement.”
Aaron Dyer, one of Combs’ lawyers, stressed in a statement released after the raids that “there has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations.”
The mother of Combs’ son Justin Dior Combs also slammed the investigation and the raids.
“The overzealous and overtly militarized force used against my sons Justin and Christian is deplorable,” designer Misa Hylton said after releasing video showing federal agents dressed in military gear pointing a gun at Combs’ sons. “If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression. The attempt to humiliate and terrorize these innocent young Black men is despicable!”
Federal sex-trafficking and sexual assault laws also allow prosecutors to present evidence that shows a modus operandi.
“In the R. Kelly trial, several women testified about what Kelly did to them as part of a pattern of behavior. It is very much the same thing people saw in Harvey Weinstein’s prosecution,” Geddes said.
If prosecutors do file charges against Combs, they also could allege the use of forced labor under threat, Geddes said. Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend, alleged she was forced into sex acts with other men and suffered physical harm for complaining. If true, this could be considered forced labor, Geddes said.
Kelly was convicted of eight counts of the Mann Act, which was passed in 1910 and sought to criminalize what’s now known as human trafficking. The law initially banned transporting a woman or girl across state lines “for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose.”
The Mann Act now covers transportation across state lines “with [the] intent that such individual engages in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.”
In the allegations against Combs, one woman said she was brought from Detroit as a 17-year-old to Combs’ studios so he could rape her along with his cohorts, Geddes said.
Before the highly publicized searches of Combs’ properties were executed, Geddes said, prosecutors and HSI agents had to “have made some headway into the investigations.”
“What we can say at this stage is there was enough probable cause to convince a magistrate to issue a search warrant,” she said. “Before getting such a warrant, agents have typically interviewed multiple witnesses.”
Geddes said those types of searches typically seek corroboration of evidence because high-profile individuals tend to work with others to commit such crimes. In Kelly’s case, Geddes said, his storage facility proved to be a goldmine. He kept message slips, handwritten notations and emails to pick up women and girls. And there were “videos, lots of videos,” she said.
“We had so much evidence presented in Kelly, it was hard to fit it all into the closing,” Geddes said. “He used his money and public persona to hide his crimes in plain sight,” she told jurors at the time.
The feeling of being somewhere overwhelmingly positive is unusual. In 2024, it seems ever-more likely that even the most upbeat of events would be coated in a veneer of cynicism, if not outright skepticism. But at the Pokémon Europe International Championships (EUIC), every person I spoke to was bubbling with unadulterated happiness just to be there. And for all of them, without exception, it was a love for Pokémon that was driving this preternatural positivity.
April’s EUIC was, according to some who have been attending the championships for years, the largest ever. Official figures suggest over 10,000 people attended the three-day event in London’s ExCel Center, 4,500 of them competitors in the various fields, from the card game to the video games. And yet, despite such huge numbers of people, it all felt undeniably lovely. There were no reports of incidents, no flipped tables, and a pervading feeling of calm throughout. As a world-leading misanthrope, sporting a heavy cold, I was fascinated to feel this way. I was determined to find out why.
Photo: Kotaku
Cultivating an atmosphere
“I just love Pokémon!” says one splendid lady I meet, dressed as Gothorita, accompanied by her daughter (cosplaying Gothita), and a childhood friend dressed up, appropriately, as trainer Caitlin. The three of them are here spectating, despite often playing the trading card game (TCG) at their local Geek Retreat. “It’s like my childhood,” Gothorita adds.
This is the central sentiment among so many people I spoke to. So many people citing Pokémon as the special factor, the colorful exuberance of a child-focused franchise overriding the more aggressive cultures associated with video games and TCGs. Magic: The Gathering meet-ups, say, are unquestionably fantastic spaces, but the nature of the base game doesn’t exude a sense of family-first. Here, everyone has to at least tacitly acknowledge they’re gathering because of a shared passion for the cartoon electric mouse and his magical friends.
I plopped myself down next to two guys who’d just finished a day-one round of what the locals call “VGC,” meaning battling teams in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The winner of the match was Simon Van der Borght, known in Pokémon circles as Shmon, a sometimes-commentator and judge for the events. The Belgian player, dressed in a spectacularly garish Pokémon-emblazoned jacket, bubbled with excitement about the event. Shmon enthused about the EUIC, talking about how it’s grown in scale over the years, and about how many friends he’s made through attending and competing. “It really makes me happy!” he declared. I asked him about his first time playing competitively, and he used a term that I’d hear again and again over the event. “Immediately I fell in love with the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere” was almost everyone’s first answer when I asked why they were enjoying their time here. It’s an intangible thing, hard to qualify or pin down, but I think it captures senses of safety, comfort, and positivity. There’s an idea that things aren’t wrong here, that no matter what waits outside the enormous convention center, in here we’re good. We’re good people, doing a fun thing, with no judgment. “It makes my heart flutter to see these people!” Shmon declares, “and even when they’re not doing well, still enjoy their time with Pokémon! This community is so strong and so nice to each other that I really love coming back time and time again.”
Photo: Kotaku
The community is lovely!
Speaking of people who’ve come back time and again, I grabbed a chance to chat with the man behind legendary Pokémon site Serebii—Joe Merrick—as well as long-time Pokémon commentator and YouTuber Ross Gilbert, better known as PTCGRadio. Both have been attending the EUIC since it started, since they were in “the event room of a theme park” as Gilbert puts it. “You’re talking 150 people total in the room, and it’s very much a school trip kind of atmosphere. Yeah, everyone’s having fun, but it’s very quiet. Whereas here, it’s a celebration. You walk around the room, there’s people trading, people drawing, there’s people playing side events…”
Merrick and Gilbert are no strangers to controversy, and to the far more toxic nature of online communities. Serebii receives an inconceivable amount of negativity and vitriol, with new Twitter storms brewing every other day. But both say that here, in person, there’s none of that. “It’s indicative of the Pokémon community in general,” says Merrick. “Yeah, I mean, it gets a lot of hate online, because—you know—people are negative online, and [so] people say, ‘Oh this community is terrible.’ But when you’re actually in a room with the actual community, the community is lovely!”
Both are overwhelmed by the growth of the event. 2023’s EUIC had approximately 1,500 playing in the TCG Masters event (there are also Junior and Senior divisions), whereas this year that number was closer to 2,700. We speculate over whether the spike in interest in the cards in 2021, caused by the imperfect storm of global covid lockdowns and Jake Paul paying $5 million for a Pokémon card, has now led to this growth in interest in playing the game itself. Ross adds, “[So] there’s more people every year that are like, ‘I fancy going to a regional… Oh look, EUIC’s in London this year…”
Merrick points out that there are also many reasons to come along to the event if you’re not competing. “You’ve got the Activity Zone, you’ve got the festival stalls, they’ve even got a challenge on how fast you can beat Red in Pokémon Red and Blue. It’s stuff like that that’s going to bring people in. It’s going to make people realize, you know what, Pokémon is cool!”
“They’ve got a bunch of random consoles where you can go and play all the games, even Pokkén Tournament,” interjects Gilbert. “They’ve got a quiet room for people who are having a bit of a stressful day, to go chill out in. They’re constantly thinking and acting on how they can make this better for every different type of Pokémon fan.”
Photo: Kotaku
Making friends and influencer people
One of the many extra events put on was the Battle Labs, where Pokémon Professors helped people new to either the video game or the card game learn how to play. Standing in line for the TCG lab, I spoke to Aoife, who’d traveled over from the West of Ireland to accompany her partner who was competing. Through Pokémon, her partner had formed a group of 12 friends who would all play together, sometimes booking giant Airbnbs for them and their partners to holiday together. Her partner, Sean, had wanted to try competing at a larger event, so they’d traveled over for the EUIC, leaving Aoife to entertain herself. “I’m here on my own,” she told me, “but I don’t feel nervous at all. Everyone here is just so nice, and the atmosphere is lovely, because everyone’s into the same thing.”
I spoke to Aoife on day two of the event, and she compared—with a laugh—leaving Sean to compete in the Swiss rounds (where players are paired up against others with the same win/loss ratio) with dropping him off at daycare. “I am able to go around and do my own thing, I’ve done lots of activities. This event is amazing.”
That sense of feeling safe was echoed when I spoke to Instagram influencer Poke Girl Rach. We mused on the family-first nature of the place, and how the shared fondness for Pokémon breaks down so many social barriers. “It’s my favorite thing to come to events. You just know you’re surrounded by like-minded people,” she explained. “It’s a really good atmosphere, a super-warm atmosphere.” Rachel Gunn got started on Instagram during the covid lockdowns, describing herself at the time as “a bit lonely.” Driven by a desire to connect with people, she began sharing her lifelong passion for Pokémon, including a sizable plush collection, and grew a community while continuing with her career in finance. Those communities have become such a pivotal part of her life that friends made within them came to her wedding. As we chatted, she was planning for the community meet-ups that were arranged for this event. “I’ve a massive friend group now,” she tells me, before we get distracted talking about the merch we picked up in the pop-up Pokémon Center.
Photo: Kotaku
Pokémon is for everyone
Wandering the floor, I bumped into YouTuber PokeDean. “Crazy,” he said when I asked if he was having a good time. “Every time I come to EUIC it seems to be getting bigger and bigger. The atmosphere today is absolutely incredible.” Not competing this year (“I took part last year and I got humiliated.”), Dean had come along just as a spectator for 2024. Given the YouTuber is about to launch a physical store with his business partner PokiChloe, I wondered how he could possibly have the time. “It’s only because I really love the atmosphere here. I love getting to meet a lot of like-minded people, seeing some amazing players take part.”
Given just how much animosity I see whenever I read Pokémon discourse online, the sheer scale of derision as every new announcement is greeted by fury from long-time fans, I’m so struck by these repeated refrains of how differently this community expresses itself in real life. I wonder if a large part of the online animosity comes from those who have forgotten that Pokémon is…well, it’s primarily for children. On purpose. As in, it’s deliberately, by careful planning and design, for children, and then also accessible to adults.
Serebii’s Joe Merrick agrees. “Pokémon, in times past, people would age out of it. But a lot of people, they’ve grown up, they like it, but they have wanted it to grow up with them. So, if they want this edgy, dark reboot, set in a dystopian Kalos—that’s not gonna happen. Let’s face it: Pokémon is a kids’ game. That’s how they continue getting people in, because you’re not having people age out any more. People just need to understand, it’s for everyone. Not just for them.”
I mention Aoife, taking part in the Pokémon Labs to learn to play the TCG, because she wanted to better understand her partner’s passion. “Something like that is absolutely brilliant,” says YouTuber Ross Gilbert. “You can come here with no interest in competitive TCG, VG, GO, or Unite, and you’ll find stuff to do all weekend.
So where do these two old hats (a term they were less than enamored with) see the tournaments heading? “Bigger,” they both say at the same time. Between them they begin speculating whether the event will eventually take over both halves of the enormous ExCel arena, or if it will entirely outgrow the building, perhaps have to look at spaces the size of London’s O2 arena.
Even this black heart…
Over the weekend, I spoke to families where at least one member was being dragged along by others, but seemed to be having a great time despite it. I spoke to female competitors who were there on their own, but didn’t feel intimidated or concerned at all. I saw extraordinary diversity—by age, race, gender identity. I saw huge groups of friends gathering in corridors to celebrate victories, impromptu card trading groups breaking out in dining areas, and kids freaking out to see Pikachu come dancing by.
Sick as a dog, there on my own without anyone else I already knew, and a life-long misanthrope, the event weaved its magic on me too. I spent ages chatting with delightful strangers, added new friends on socials, and almost missed my three-hour coach ride home because of how comfortable I felt in this crowd of ten-thousand people. It’s always a pleasure to remember that online misery rarely translates to the real world, but even better when that real world is so utterly delightful.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and R&B singer Cassie reached a settlement Friday in an incendiary lawsuit she filed the day before accusing the mogul and entrepreneur of rape and a “cycle of abuse” during their decade-plus relationship.
No details of the settlement were released, though Combs’ attorney previously accused Cassie of seeking an eight-figure payout in recent months. Combs had denied the allegations through his attorney.
Cassie dated the famed hip-hop producer for about 11 years before they split in 2018. She filed her sex trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit against him in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York just days before the expiration of a “lookback window” that allowed adults who alleged they were sexually abused to sue despite the statute of limitations having run out.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” the singer, who sued under her legal name Casandra Ventura, said in a statement issued through her legal team. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
Combs issued a similar statement, saying, “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”
Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said he was “very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit. She ought to be commended for doing so.”
In the lawsuit, the 37-year-old Ventura accused Combs, 54, of raping her in her home after she tried to leave him; physically attacking and injuring her; forcing her to engage in sex acts with male sex workers while filming the encounters; running around with a firearm; introducing her to “a lifestyle of excessive alcohol and substance abuse”; and requiring her “to procure illicit prescriptions to satisfy his own addictions.”
According to the lawsuit, Ventura met Combs in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37. After signing her to his label, the suit alleges, Combs took control of her professional and personal life, and began sexual and physically abusing her with increasing frequency.
“He signed her to his label, Bad Boy Records, and within a few years, lured Ms. Ventura into an ostentatious, fast-paced and drug-fueled lifestyle, and into a romantic relationship with him — her boss, one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry, and a vicious, cruel, and controlling man nearly two decades her senior,” the lawsuit said.
Diddy’s lawyer, Ben Brafman, said in a statement to The Times Thursday that his client “vehemently” denied the “offensive and outrageous allegations” and accused Ventura of being “persistent” in demanding more than $30 million from Diddy for the last six months.
Brafman added that the lawsuit — which also named Combs’ businesses Bad Boy Entertainment and Bad Boy Records among the defendants, as well as Epic Records and Combs Enterprises LLC — was “riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a payday.”
Times staff writers Nardine Saad, Emily St. Martin and Stacy Perman contributed to this report.
Resources for survivors of sexual assault
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual violence, you can find support using RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline. Call (800) 656-HOPE or visit online.rainn.org to speak with a trained support specialist.
A recent study found that the average age for new American parents is up to 26 for mothers and 31 for fathers, both record highs. The Onion looks at the top reasons why more Americans are putting off having kids.
2 / 12
Career ostensibly going to start taking off any day now.
Career ostensibly going to start taking off any day now.
3 / 12
Family members haven’t asked enough times yet.
Family members haven’t asked enough times yet.
4 / 12
Saving up for larger child.
Saving up for larger child.
5 / 12
Men finally getting hang of pulling out.
Men finally getting hang of pulling out.
6 / 12
Desire to maintain current four-hours-of-sleep lifestyle.
Desire to maintain current four-hours-of-sleep lifestyle.
7 / 12
Adults being more realistic about whether their genes worth passing on.
Adults being more realistic about whether their genes worth passing on.
8 / 12
Seems pretty played out at this point.
Seems pretty played out at this point.
9 / 12
Cuts in sex ed resulting in more couples being completely unaware of how to conceive.
Cuts in sex ed resulting in more couples being completely unaware of how to conceive.
10 / 12
Holding out for Sean to leave wife like he promised.
Holding out for Sean to leave wife like he promised.
11 / 12
Want to figure out what happened to the last few first.
Want to figure out what happened to the last few first.
Goku is misunderstood. Memes and misinterpretations have greatly contributed to some inaccurate conclusions about the Dragon Ball Z character — with perhaps the most common misconstrual being that Goku is a bad dad. This perception of Goku’s fatherly abilities have been perpetuated by jokes and memes that have, over the years, buried or caused people to ignore evidence that suggests otherwise, when in fact the opposite is true. Goku is a great dad.
When I dove into why I love Dragon Ball couples so much, I concluded that Toriyama excels at putting relationships on display by showing, not telling, how they feel about each other through their dynamics, reactions to perilous situations and subtext. I think the same applies to analyzing Goku as a father. Throughout the original manga, we see Goku being a good dad in both traditional and nontraditional ways.
Goku has confidence in Gohan
To analyze Goku as a dad, we have to look at Goku as a character. Goku is passionate about martial arts, but more specifically, his core character value is always wanting to get better. Goku values working hard to get stronger and seeing those results paying off and this ties to him as a father. Though he doesn’t force them to be martial artists like himself, Goku is incredibly proud of and confident in the strength, skills and results of hard work that his sons display, which is the quality of a great dad.
When Goku shows up to save Gohan from Nappa, he points out his son’s progress, “You’ve changed so much! You trained well!” Even though Gohan admits he couldn’t do anything against Nappa, it’s still important to Goku that his son knows he’s come a long way, and he does just that. A similar scene plays out in the Frieza Saga when Goku once again shows up to save Gohan and Krillin, he comments that Gohan has been through a lot, complimenting his perseverance — he’s less scared and a little stronger than before, and Goku makes sure he knows it.
The Cell Saga is perhaps the best source of moments like this. Throughout the entire arc, Goku shows immense confidence, belief and pride in Gohan’s potential, power, progress and perseverance, saying as much throughout. As the two train in the hyperbolic time chamber, Goku makes it clear that he believes Gohan is going to become stronger than him. He notes how quickly he progresses and compliments his growth, showing nothing but pride and belief in his son’s potential.
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In fact, Goku has the utmost confidence in Gohan’s abilities, so much so that he remains calm when learning that Cell’s power is still greater than his own. Why? Because he already recognized his son’s growth and power, he’s already confident that Cell’s defeat is at hand and that Gohan is going to be the one to do it. Goku approaches the Cell games with this matter-of-fact mindset that Gohan is going to save the world, it’s a sincere belief, not just a father trying to give his son confidence.
And Goku is right to have this confidence — Gohan believed his father to be holding back against Cell, since his dad’s best was far behind the level he had reached. Not only did Goku have great belief in his son — forfeiting his match because he knew he didn’t have to defeat Cell — he also showed great intuition in regards to Gohan’s power. Heck, he’s so confident and proud of Gohan’s strength, he straight up calls Cell an idiot for underestimating him, also quelling Piccolo’s doubts when Gohan appears defeated. These are the acts of a father who has confidence in his son, who is proud and recognizes his hard work and its results.
Illustration: Toei Animation
Of course, Goku does take this confidence a bit far, factoring into one of his weaker moments as a dad — giving Cell a Senzu bean and putting Gohan into the ring with him. This is often cited as one of the biggest examples of Goku being a bad dad and I can’t disagree. However, it comes from Goku’s sincere confidence and recognition of his son’s power, and more importantly, Goku realizes his mistake and was on his way to fix it, before Gohan proves that his dad was right to believe in him, unleashing the power of an ascended Super Saiyan. A mistake, certainly, but not a heartless one.
Later when Cell decides to self-destruct and take the whole planet with him, Goku teleports the sore loser away, but not before he tells Gohan he is proud of him. Then when Cell reforms, Goku urges his son from the afterlife to “show me the power that we made together,” to defeat the villain. Goku sees Gohan’s power as the result of their shared efforts, as something he is proud of and a reflection of their time spent together as father and son — it is a touching scene in the context of the power-centric world of Dragon Ball. In this world, power is everything, and they built this together. Finally, in the last moments of the Cell saga, Goku wishes to remain in the afterlife, giving Gohan one final vote of confidence by saying the Earth has him now, his power and his reliability are going to protect the planet.
The Buu Saga does have some key moments as well. While watching Goten fight Trunks in the kids’ division of the World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku shows great interest in observing Goten’s current level of skill and power. He notes that he can’t quite control energy blasts and is impressed that he can already turn Super Saiyan. It’s small, but worth noting Goku’s deep interest in Goten’s fight. Similarly, Goku stays to watch Gohan train in the land of the Kais, taking an interest in and noting his progress. Additionally, Goku is taken aback — literally, he is blown back — by Gohan’s ultimate form, and tells him as much, giving him one final vote of confidence with a thumbs up as he goes off to fight Buu.
Goku also put great faith in Goten and Trunks and their fusion during the Buu saga, literally saying that it’s their generation’s time to take over. This is a vote of confidence and pride from Goku to Goten (as well as Trunks) and though minimal, it’s worth noting.
Goku balances being a dad with being a teacher
Illustration: Toei Animation
Goku possesses what’s known as a positive flat character arc: he doesn’t change for the better over time, but rather his positive nature changes other characters and the world around him for the better. I think this especially applies to his sons and what he’s left them with as their father and mentor.
In the Cell Saga, Goku teaches Gohan how to turn Super Saiyan, how to perfect the form and how to maintain it. Here, we find that Goku is an excellent teacher, a difficult task especially when your student is also your son, and I think it speaks to Goku’s ability as a father that he can balance the two. Goku is patient, kind, encouraging and understanding — every time Gohan struggles or stumbles, Goku tells him that not even he or Vegeta were able to master the transformation in a day. Goku also reminds his son that he is much farther along strength-wise than he was as a kid, able to handle more time in the Hyperbolic time chamber and full of hidden potential that will outshine both himself and Vegeta. These are all qualities of a great teacher and a great dad.
Gohan reflects this when Videl asks him who taught him how to fight — he doesn’t say Piccolo, though that’s often who people joke is Gohan’s real father. Instead, Gohan says “My dad, mostly.” He reflects it further when he asks Kibito to give him a new gi, one based off of his dad’s, “I want to fight wearing my dad’s gi,” he says, and this is big. Previously, Gohan chose Piccolo’s clothes to wear in respect to his teachings, so it speaks volumes that he now wants to honor his father and wear the pride they have for each other in his gi. He wouldn’t do this if Goku wasn’t an excellent and impactful father and it’s an incredibly touching and important moment.
As for Goten, when Goku is teaching him and Trunks fusion, he swallows his pride in order for them to understand the importance of the technique. He tells them that he is weak, and that his weakness got Gohan and Vegeta killed, which Trunks and Goten blame him for. These kids barely know him and he understands that, he gets on their level to admit his weakness so they understand that fusion will help them surpass his own weakness. I see this as an excellent teacher move, one that finally gets them to listen. Additionally, Goten, who only just met his dad earlier this day, wishes for a final hug before he goes — only someone like Goku could get a son he just met to be that attached that quickly.
Goku as the selfless Saiyan
If you want more direct examples of Goku being a great dad, Dragon Ball is full of such moments.Throughout the Saiyan, Frieza and Cell Sagas, Goku shows immense concern for Gohan’s wellbeing.
Infamously known as a fight-loving freak, Goku pays little attention to Nappa or the Ginyu force when rescuing Gohan from them, ensuring he is safe, healed and away from the battle before even once looking at his future opponents. Also in the Frieza Saga, Goku makes sure that Gohan gets as far away as possible after he turns into a Super Saiyan for the first time — he knows he can’t control the rage-induced power yet and tells Gohan to get away before his control slips away entirely.
In the Cell Saga, Goku literally sacrifices his life for his son when he teleports a self-destructing Cell away — and this moment is important on two levels. First, Goku is being a good dad and giving his life to ensure his son lives, and second, Goku takes the brunt of Gohan’s mistake for him. Gohan got a bit cocky with his power, wanting to make Cell suffer before defeating him, which gives the villain the chance to self-destruct, something that Gohan (and the whole Earth) would have paid for if Goku didn’t step in. He takes the hit so Gohan can learn from his mistake without paying fatal consequences. That’s some grade-A dad s*** right there! He even keeps a positive attitude when telling him he’s going to remain dead! He doesn’t want his son to mourn and dwell on his death!
In the Buu saga, Goku shows a deep understanding and concern for Gohan’s rage, now knowing the full power, and urges him to calm down when Videl gets hurt in her tournament match. He also understands that Videl is important to Gohan and doesn’t hesitate to get her Senzu beans from Korrin. Later, when Goku finds out Gohan is alive and in the land of the Kais, he immediately teleports to him without hesitation, and is later sad that he can’t go back with him to Earth and see him grow up.
There are also two hugs in this saga, both between Goku and his sons. Signs of affection are very rare in Dragon Ball and I think it contributes a lot to the argument of Goku being a good dad that two of them are when Goku is saying goodbye to his sons. I dare you to tell me Goku is some kind of uncaring, distant father after all this!
Goku is a flawed character
Illustration: Toei Animation
To give a fair argument, we have to look at some of Goku’s flaws. In desperate situations, he can be a bit harsh and biting — Gohan experiences this in the Saiyan saga when Goku snaps at him for being too afraid to take over the fight against Vegeta, calling him a coward. This could have been delivered better, but I think it stems from Goku believing in his son, and trying to snap him out of the fear that makes him hesitate, something he takes a better approach with during the Cell games. Here, rather than calling Gohan a coward, he says, “Bring peace back to the world. You want to grow up and be a scientist don’t you?” to directly, but gently teach Gohan that you have to fight for the things that matter, even if you’re afraid. I think this not only makes up for how he yelled at Gohan in the Saiyan saga, but it also shows something that even the best dads struggle to do: grow, change and adapt how they teach and raise their kids.
Goku similarly yells at Goten later in the Buu saga, once again out of a desperate situation. When teaching Trunks and Goten about Fusion, he snaps that they don’t have time to cry and mourn Gohan and Vegeta, that they have to learn Fusion fast if they want revenge. It’s not gentle, that’s for sure, but it’s not out of malice, Goku has to cut through to make it clear that there is a ticking clock and they can save the world if they use time wisely. Again, it’s not a perfect dad moment, but Goku is, as established, a flawed character.
Perhaps the most cited reason for Goku being a “bad dad” in the eyes of some is that he’s absent twice from his son’s lives. But here’s the thing. Goku did not abandon his sons. Goku was gone after selfless acts of self-sacrifice done to protect his sons from current and future threats.
Well… of course, he does sort of abandon his family in the final pages of the series in order to train Uub to be the next protector of the Earth but Gohan is already a full-grown adult here. Goten is still a bit younger, but he’s training Uub to keep the Earth, and his sons, safe. Overall, the epilogue is not a great example of Goku as a dad, but it’s also never stated that he doesn’t visit them during Uub’s training, so I’m gonna choose to believe he does (just let me have this one!)
Super Saiyan, Super Dad
Illustration: Toei Animation
A lot of arguments of Goku being a bad dad come from Dragon Ball Super, which takes a more comedic tone that Flanderizes and pokes fun at Goku’s flaws as a dad. If you want to use those points to argue, go right ahead, but Toriyama’s original text, the original Dragon Ball manga does not, in my opinion, depict Goku as a bad father. Quite the opposite.
Goku being a dad is not the focus of Dragon Ball, and I think this is a big contributor to why people think he’s a bad dad. The series doesn’t put a spotlight on Goku having traditional father-son moments with his kids, but when you look closely, it’s not hard to find moments of Goku being a damn good dad — imparting wisdom, protecting his kids, caring deeply about them, showing affection for them and taking great pride in their hard work and progress. Is Goku a perfect dad? No, but what person, fictional or real is? Is Goku a good dad? Yes, y’all are just mean.
Sean is a writer/researcher who lives in LA and loves Sonic, Dragon Ball and his dog. You can follow him on Twitter and find his work on his website. He also co-hosts Sonic Podcast Adventure and streams frequently on Twitch.
