Topline
An upcoming Netflix comedy special from Jamie Foxx is expected to include the actor addressing a mysterious 2023 health crisis that left him hospitalized for more than 20 days and recovering for months more—but has also sparked rumors it that Sean “Diddy” Combs may have somehow been responsible—which Combs’ camp has denied, but Foxx has not.
Jamie Foxx attends the World Premiere of Netflix's "Day Shift" on Aug. 10, 2022 in Los Angeles, ... [+]
Key Facts
Foxx filmed his Netflix special "Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was..." while performing three live stand-up comedy shows in Atlanta in early October, and several people say he addressed his health issues while on stage, though it’s unclear if the comments will make the special’s final cut.
Producer Arthur Alston, who goes by the name "Choke No Joke," told Comedy Hype last month he attended two of the live shows, and reported Foxx said "Diddy was responsible for what happened … and [Foxx] is the one who called the FBI on him” (Combs has been jailed since September on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering).
Alston said “I don't think he was joking,” and also said there were industry rumors that Combs was responsible for Foxx’s illness either by poisoning or a physical beating after the actor was caught filming Combs’ behavior.
A celebrity security guard who goes by the name “Big Homie CC” and says he attended two of the shows, also alleged in an on-camera interview that Combs drugged Foxx, and told Page Six Foxx said as much at his live shows.
But an anonymous source cited by TMZ said the comments Foxx made about Combs were part of the comedy routine, and a joke.
Combs’ team called the rumors “outlandish, ridiculous and baseless” in a statement to music industry website AllHipHop, and denied any connection between Foxx and Diddy’s case and subsequent arrest, while Foxx reportedly dodged questions about the rumors that Diddy tried to poison him when asked by paparazzi in October, responding "God bless you” (Forbes reached out to both parties for comment on Monday).
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News Peg
Joe Rogan also seemed to give credibility to the rumor when he discussed it on a recent episode of his podcast.
What To Watch For
"Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was..." premieres on Netflix Dec. 10.
Key Background
Foxx's daughter, Corinne Fox, in April of 2023 shared that her father was recovering from a "medical complication" but did not elaborate on the exact medical concern. Months later, in August of 2023, Foxx posted he was "finally startin to feel like myself" and said his heath scare was an "unexpected dark journey… but I can see the light." In July, he again opened up and said his medical emergency started with a "bad headache" and that he doesn't remember the first 20 days of his illness. The specifics of his medical condition still haven't been revealed, but rumors have included that he suffered a stroke and unsubstantiated claims he was seriously injured by a Covid vaccine.
Tangent
Combs has been under intense scrutiny for the last year after his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a $30 million lawsuit against him claiming years of physical abuse in November of 2023 (the suit was settled the day after it was filed). Since then, civil cases have piled up against the mogul claiming a variety of sexual abuses, rape, physical violence and other claims, all of which Combs has denied. In September, he was arrested in Manhattan on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, alleging he “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.” He has been denied bail in the federal case three times, and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
