Welcome to “The Scoop” — the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.
(NewsNation) — This week, the Metropolitan Museum and Anna Wintour announced that its Spring 2025 Gala will be “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The gala and ensuing exhibit will focus “on the history of the Black dandy and the way peacocking goes beyond aesthetics to empowerment,” The New York Times noted. A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour will be co-chairing the gala … and LeBron James will be the honorary chair.
It’s the last bit that” raised eyebrows in the New York social scene as James’ name has come up many times since Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in September.
“Hip-hop cop” Derrick Parker even told me last week some of the names that may come up in the investigation, saying: “Jay-Z and Diddy were pretty close. … It’s not just Jay-Z. There are other more important people that are at these ‘Freak Off’ parties … everybody’s very scared right now.”
Other names Parker mentioned: LeBron James, Chris Brown and Kevin Hart (who was seen “interviewing” a woman in a bathtub at a Diddy party in the past and has since tried to distance himself from the Bad Boy mogul).
HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 16: (L-R) Sean “Diddy” Combs and LeBron James attend The Two Kings Dinner presented by Sprite at RDG + Bar Annie on February 16, 2013 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage) 
LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 26: (L-R) NBA player Lebron James and producer Sean Combs attend the super welterweight boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor on August 26, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) 
Lebron James, Beyonce, Jay Z and Sean P Diddy Combs (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage for Anheuser-Busch) 
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 17: (L-R) NBA players LeBron James, coach Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and assistant coach David Fizdale pose backstage at The 2013 ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 17, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ESPY) 
DALLAS – FEBRUARY 13: (L-R) Jay-Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Lebron James attend the 4th Annual Two Kings Dinner on February 13, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage) 
NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 13: Rappers Jay-Z, Lebron James and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs perform at the Apollo Theater November 13, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic)
LeBron James ‘Diddy party’ video resurfaces
A video has recently resurfaced of James saying, “Ain’t no party like a Diddy party”; however, the NBA superstar also has not been linked to any of Combs’ alleged crimes.
But it will be interesting to see how much more information comes out about the “Freak-Offs,” who is named and who is shamed … and who shows up.