The Breakfast Club: Behind The Trial — Reflections on the Diddy Trial and Media Evolution

Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God (featuring Lauren LaRosa & panel)
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This special episode dives into the media and cultural impact of the Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial, bringing together leading Black journalists and content creators who covered the proceedings. Moderated by CBS’s Jerica Duncan, the panel features Lauren LaRosa (The Breakfast Club/iHeart), Armand Wiggins (YouTube), Darla Miles (ABC7NY), Jay Dao (PIX11), Celia Simone (TMZ), and Mona Kosarabdi (Extra TV). They reflect on the unprecedented media frenzy, ethical dilemmas, the changing landscape of news and social media, and the personal toll of covering such a high-profile and emotionally charged trial.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance and Challenge of Covering the Diddy Trial

• Media Convergence: Legacy media, digital outlets, and independent creators all vied for coverage and audience during the trial.
  • “This case was the first time we saw a lot of creators and a lot of conversation happening online. There’s no blueprint for covering it.” — Mona Kosarabdi [15:06]
• Personal Toll: Panelists spoke candidly about exhaustion and emotional impact.
  • “For eight weeks, getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning, committing to standing outside in line...I was annoyed because I knew it was going to be crazy.” — Darla Miles [27:15]
  • Lauren LaRosa described “sleepwalking” through days of nonstop content creation [03:00, 85:35].
• Trial Details: The charges, verdicts, and surprise elements of the proceedings.
  • “He was found not guilty of racketeering and trafficking. What he was found guilty of was the prosecution.” — Lauren LaRosa [08:59]
  • Diddy was ultimately convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution; not guilty on racketeering/RICO and sex trafficking.

2. The Evolution of Media: Social Versus Legacy

• Rise of Content Creators: Traditional journalists recognized how creators (YouTubers, influencers) provided a different kind of coverage.
  • “There’s a trust that’s built in when you’re speaking to your audience every single day.” — Armand Wiggins [17:23]
  • “We realized it’s not legacy versus YouTube versus social…like making a pie and you have little ingredients that feed that pie.” — Darla Miles [27:15]
• Algorithm & Audience: Success on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram depended more on offering value and unique voice than gaming algorithms.
  • “Good content is good content…Algorithms really don’t matter.” — Darla Miles [62:50]
  • “It taught me that saturation doesn’t matter when you’re good at what you do.” — Lauren LaRosa [60:53]
  • Consistency, unique insights, and reliability were crucial for building audience trust [66:15].

3. Ethics, Security, and Responsibility

• Ambitious Coverage vs. Safety/Privacy: Viral moments can come with risk; ethical lines vary.
  • “You filming a judge entering a building raises ethical concerns…where is the pause and reflection?” — Crystal (audience) [69:09]
  • “That clip in that photo she got, he was wearing a backpack…It set a different conversation.” — Lauren LaRosa [72:44]
• Security Risks: Threats and harassment were common. Some panelists discussed direct confrontations.
  • “There was a woman who attacked me outside the courthouse…People really will get overstimulated and try to attack you.” — Armand Wiggins [57:55]
  • “If you are threatened, don’t brush it off, report it immediately.” — Darla Miles [59:37]

4. Processing Difficult/Triggering Content

• Coping Mechanisms: Community, rest, and shared experience helped journalists process the traumatic and graphic testimony.
  • “At the end of the trial, it kind of felt like I went back to college because we all got so close. Unless you were at that courthouse every day, you really couldn’t fathom the intensity.” — Lauren LaRosa [85:35]
  • Some described “post-trial depression” after weeks of adrenaline and focus [87:15].
• Compartmentalization as Second Responders:
  “We’re kind of like second responders…We compartmentalize and then we go home.” — Darla Miles [94:46]
• Impact on Survivors/Journalists: Shared stories of trauma, empathy, and the challenge of remaining objective and human.

5. The Changing Conversation on Sexual Violence

• Cultural Evolution: Panelists debated whether coverage and public dialogue on sexual violence have evolved.
  • “Ten years ago, we wouldn’t be having the conversations we’re having now.” — Lauren LaRosa [97:23]
  • Skepticism about whether justice has caught up with awareness: “MeToo has advanced the discussion—I don’t think justice has caught up with the conversation.” — Darla Miles [97:29]
• Community Among Women Covering the Case:
  “Every woman talked about every little detail…We were all comparing stories. It was insane.” — Celia Simone [95:13]

6. Journalistic Identity, Purpose, and Legacy

• Representation: The importance of Black journalists covering stories impacting their communities.
  • “I really feel it’s a duty and a calling…to make sure there is representation and context in everything we cover.” — Darla Miles [12:27]
• Finding and Owning One’s Voice:
  • “I’m not there to report play by play…Now let’s really get into it.” — Armand Wiggins on storytelling approach [50:02]
  • “If you’re good at what you do, people will come and find what they want from you.” — Lauren LaRosa [60:53]
• Collaboration Across Roles: Legacy and digital journalists supporting and learning from each other.
  • “I literally learned how to do social media from the queen next to me on the steps of the courthouse.” — Darla Miles about Celia Simone [42:58]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lauren LaRosa (on media impact):
  “It just really taught me the importance of social media…People were listening to me because they wanted to hear me and hear certain things. It wasn't about an outlet.” [61:15]

• Jay Dao (on legacy and new media):
  “This was the first time I saw our business come full circle…folks like Lauren, like Arman, sitting there…delivering the same material to their own audiences. And I was so impressed.” [11:28]

• Celia Simone (on going viral):
  “They didn’t say it, but they wanted viral…Every day was a struggle to kind of be super creative and not be redundant.” [43:37]

• Armand Wiggins (on independence and growth):
  “I told myself, ‘Listen, I’m going to stop waiting for people to give me opportunity, and I’m just going to create my own opportunity.’” [33:40]

  • On inspiration: “Once they saw me there, we were getting those numbers and we were going viral, everybody and their mama flew out with an iPhone and started doing YouTube videos and TikToks.” [50:02]

Panelist Introductions & Backgrounds

([10:52]–[18:40])

• Lauren LaRosa: Senior news producer (Breakfast Club), podcast host, former TMZ; covered trial for radio, podcast, socials.
• Jay Dao: PIX11 News, host of Community Close Up; legacy journalism focus, also adapting to new platforms.
• Darla Miles: 30 years in NY journalism, ABC 7 NY; focused on crime reporting, advocating representation, empathy.
• Celia Simone: TMZ senior field producer, YouTuber; unique voice, behind-the-camera specialist, “carving out her lane”.
• Mona Kosarabdi: Extra TV, former ABC; blends entertainment and hard news, major on TikTok/social.
• Armand Wiggins: YouTuber/content creator; self-driven, invested own resources, aimed to create new media space.

The Verdict & Sentencing — Reaction and Impact

([08:59]–[46:46])

• Diddy: Not guilty on most serious charges (RICO, trafficking), guilty on two counts related to prostitution.
• Emotional moment: Diddy’s shock at guilty verdict, his children testifying on his behalf before sentencing [46:46].
  • “His kids gave this powerful plea to the judge…they already lost their mother, and now they were going to lose their father, too.” — Mona Kosarabdi [46:46]
• Judge’s stance: Balanced, recognizing bravery of accusers and gravity of Diddy’s past.

Ethical & Practical Challenges During Coverage

([69:09]–[80:16])

• Security/Ethics: Dangers of judge identification, public exposure vs. public right to information.
• Collaboration & Competition: Reporters learning social media from each other, respecting boundaries.
• Audience Dynamics: Desire for viral moments runs parallel with need for rigorous fact-based reporting.
  • “Social media is built on viral moments…like, what’s going to be viral next? Waking up every day, worrying about how you’re going to feed the beast.” — Jay Dao [75:51]

Coping With Emotional Impact & Burnout

([85:21]–[89:49])

• Rest and community essential to process traumatic content.
• “Some nights…I didn’t really know how I felt when I left court today. That was an eye-changing moment for me as a journalist.” — Lauren LaRosa [64:39]

Addressing the Cultural Conversation on Sexual Violence

([96:12]–[100:29])

• MeToo has advanced dialogue, but legal and justice systems lag.
• Black community tension: Is this targeted prosecution or overdue accountability?
  • “One case doesn’t dictate if the MeToo movement is effective…people were torn between ‘is this a powerful Black man being targeted or a powerful man abusing power?’” — Mona Kosarabdi [99:28]
• Panelists see progress but recognize room for improvement in both coverage and justice.

Noteworthy Timestamps

• Intro to the Panel & Themes: [03:10]–[07:26]
• Recap of the Trial: [07:26]–[08:59]
• Panelist Role Intros: [10:52]–[18:40]
• Strategies for Coverage & Impact of Social Media: [39:45]–[50:02]
• Coping, Security, Ethics: [57:24]–[74:35]
• Burnout & Community: [85:21]–[89:49]
• Sexual Violence Conversation & Cultural Impact: [96:12]–[99:28]

Conclusion

The episode offers a compelling look behind the scenes of one of the year’s most pivotal cultural moments, candidly exploring the professional and personal realities facing journalists and creators in the era of viral news. The conversation also serves as a microcosm of the media’s ongoing reckoning with representation, platform power, audience trust, and the storytelling responsibilities of our time.