Remember when Rodney “Lil Rod” Smith accused Cuba Gooding Jr. of sexual misconduct in his far-reaching lawsuit against Diddy? Whelp, Gooding is now breaking his silence. The actor has vehemently denied the allegations against him by music producer, who accused Gooding and Sean “Diddy” Combs of some dark, wild behavior.
ICYMI, Smith, known for his work on the rapper’s latest album, filed a lawsuit against Diddy in February, alleging inappropriate behavior, drugging, and assault at one of Diddy’s gatherings, as well as claiming that Diddy facilitated inappropriate advances by his friends. Diddy has denied these allegations.
Get this, adding to the craziness of the situation, Smith implicated Gooding in the purported incident, alleging that Gooding groped him during the same event.
In fairness to Gooding, he has refuted these claims, asserting that Smith’s motives are purely financial and exploiting Gooding’s previous legal troubles. In an interview with Patrick Bet-David’s “The PBD Podcast,” Gooding expressed disbelief upon discovering his involvement in Smith’s lawsuit against Combs. He exclaimed, “That’s the craziest thing… You pull me into this?”
If you believe Gooding, he didn’t roll with Diddy too tough. He clarified that his interactions with the mogul were minimal, limited to “two or three times,” primarily socializing on New Year’s Eve aboard Diddy’s yacht while listening to music with Smith. He emphasized, “We were acquaintances,” distancing himself from deeper involvement.
Gooding said his acquaintance with Diddy began in 2019 or 2020, and was facilitated by his girlfriend, Claudine De Niro, again, if you believe his claim.
Gooding insinuated that Smith opportunistically linked him to the lawsuit due to his prior legal troubles, referencing his guilty plea in 2022 for a misdemeanor charge related to non-consensual kissing at a nightclub in 2018.
Amidst the legal turmoil, Gooding maintains his innocence and questions Smith’s motives, emphasizing the tenuous nature of their acquaintance and his lack of knowledge regarding Diddy’s personal affairs.
