Bill Maher Says Cassie To Blame If Diddy Walks Free

Bill Maher took direct aim at Cassie Ventura during Friday night’s (May 30) episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, claiming that if Diddy escapes conviction in his ongoing federal sex trafficking trial, it will be because of her own words.

“If Diddy walks free, it will be because his lawyers can point to an endless stream of texts from Cassie expressing what’s often called enthusiastic consent to their sex life,” Maher said during a panel that included CNN’s Jake Tapper and Rep. Seth Moulton.

“If you’re me too-ing someone, it doesn’t help your case if you texted him me too,” Maher said.

His comments came in response to text messages revealed during the trial that showed Cassie expressing sexual interest in Diddy, even after she says the abuse occurred. The comedian argued that such messages undermine her claims and could be used by Diddy’s defense team to cast doubt on her testimony.

Cassie testified for four days in federal court, describing a relationship marked by control, violence and coercion. She said Diddy orchestrated multi-day sex sessions called “freak-offs” involving escorts, during which she was allegedly urinated on and abused.

She said she feared retaliation or blackmail if she refused. Maher acknowledged Diddy’s alleged behavior as “really bad,” calling him “a violent, sick f###.”

But he also insisted that the cultural climate has changed enough that victims now have the ability—and responsibility—to leave abusive situations sooner.

“We need to keep two thoughts in our head at once,” he said. “One, Diddy is a bad dude. Really bad. Like the worst thing in rap since Hammer Pants… And two, things have changed enough so that moving forward, the rule should be, if you’re being abused, you’ve got to leave right away.”

He added that while he understands why women in the past may have stayed silent—citing the power held by men like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein – those dynamics have shifted.

“In an era where women felt, for good reason, that OG predators like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein would never be held accountable, why not at least get something out of it?”

Cosby was convicted in 2018 of sexual assault but later released after his conviction was overturned. Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence in New York and was convicted again in Los Angeles in 2022.

Maher’s remarks were met with immediate backlash online, with critics accusing him of victim-blaming and minimizing the complexities of trauma and coercion.

Still, Maher doubled down, saying, “Don’t tell me any more about your contemporaneous account that you said to two friends ten years ago. Tell the police right away. Don’t wait a decade. Don’t journal about it. Don’t turn it into a one-woman show. And most importantly, don’t keep f###### him.”

He also questioned the role of ambition in abusive dynamics, suggesting some victims may tolerate mistreatment in exchange for fame.

“We also have to have an honest conversation about what people are willing to do for stardom,” Maher said. “If you want a number one record on The chart so bad you’ll take a number one in the face, some of that is on you.”

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