On Easter Sunday, Jennifer Lopez and Sean “Diddy” Combs warmed the hearts of their fans by showing us their best dance moves in an Instagram Live dance-a-thon for charity.
But when it came to his drastically different reactions to Lizzo twerking during the same livestream event as opposed to reality star Draya Michelle, many accused the music mogul of having a double standard.
Diddy hosted an Instagram Live party that was slated to be the “world’s biggest dance-a-thon” to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts.
READ MORE: Diddy urges people not to rely on Trump: He don’t give a F about us
Diddy’s dance-a-thon, which later featured Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, Shaq, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, Kelly Rowland, Maluma, according to Billboard, brought in more than $3.4 million in donations for Direct Relief, a non-profit that coordinates the distribution of personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, and gowns,) to healthcare personnel across the country.
Following the heartwarming cameo from Lopez, Lizzo joined the party and began twerking while Diddy was off-screen as his sons danced in front of the camera. However, when the hip-hop veteran caught wind of the plus-sized entertainer’s dance moves, he ran back into the frame and cut her short.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he told Lizzo. “Stop the music. It’s Easter Sunday, let’s play something a little more family-friendly.”
READ MORE: Lizzo thanks ER staff nationwide with lunch for hard work amid coronavirus
https://twitter.com/freakymarko/status/1249559504267681793
READ MORE: Lizzo slams TikTok for removing her bikini videos
“Sorry, sorry, sorry! Let’s do something fun,” she responded apologetically. ‘Well, don’t play that kind of… play something I can bop to.”
However, when Draya opted to do the same dance moves, not only did Diddy not chastise her for not being “family friendly,” he smiled encouragingly as his sons clapped for her to continue.
Fans quickly took offense to Diddy’s differing response to each celeb, saying it was a perfect illustration of the fat phobia Lizzo has publicly dealt with since she’s become a top-selling artist.
“These mfers were fine with a slim woman twerking, but five seconds into Lizzo doing the same thing and suddenly it’s a f**king crime,” one annoyed Twitter user posted.
“Diddy letting Draya twerk, but telling Lizzo issa ‘family show’ is some grade A fat phobic bulls**t,” another agreed.
https://twitter.com/APESHITWILL/status/1249700081080635392
Diddy said 'aht aht!!!' not on Easter Sunday!! Lizzo 😩😩 pic.twitter.com/xsQw5v6K8D
— The Shade Room Teens (@shaderoomteens) April 12, 2020
Lol not shocking. It’s because fat black bodies are considered inappropriate.
While lighter/white skin & thin bodies are seen as appropriate.Diddy just didn’t wanna be Tied to Lizzo twerking https://t.co/SCpXX2SiUR
— 💕The Inflammatory Fat💕 (@blackfatqueer) April 13, 2020
Fat women also shouldn’t have to be considered extremely pretty or sexually desirable to be afforded humanity. We shouldn’t have to keep reminding ppl that Lizzo is *pretty* to convince them that she’s a person who is deserving of autonomy and respect
— The Neighborhood Goldfinch?️? (@YaaAsantewaaBa) April 13, 2020
Diddy responded to the criticism, also on Instagram Live:
“There’s one thing that I want to make clear—my queen, my sister Lizzo,” Diddy said that he’d stopped her segment because the song contained profanity.
“She’s one of the best twerkers in the world, ok, so let’s keep that clear. It wasn’t about twerking. You’re allowed to twerk on Easter.”
“It was a lot of cursing in the record and I don’t need child services knocking on my door right now, you understand?”
“Lizzo, we love you,” Diddy added. “Everybody, stop looking for the negative. Look at the positive, man. Let’s go to the love.”
Diddy on stopping Lizzo: “When I stopped the music, it’s because it had a lot of curses in there, not cuz she was twerking. She’s one of the best twerkers in the world.” pic.twitter.com/tRl2cEZshL
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 13, 2020
Still, most observers didn’t buy it.
diddy said he paused lizzo because the record HE chose had “too much” cursing YET he allowed draya to twerk to the explicit version of Back Dat AZZ Up which again HE chose and y’all somehow came to the conclusion that his explanation was sufficient, honest and not full of shit… pic.twitter.com/wXnqEGjcl9
— Bejá (@writtenbybeja) April 13, 2020
What do you think? Was Diddy wrong or just trying to keep from getting banned from IG?