The Diddy Doc Is #1 On Netflix — Here’s Why It’s So Controversial
Plus: Job Layoffs Top 1 Million In 2025 As Trump Faces Growing Economic Backlash
Good evening,
Nominations were announced for the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on Monday, with One Battle After Another leading film categories (nine nominations), and The White Lotus leading TV categories (six nominations).
Year of the Pod 🎧 — The awards show added its first-ever Best Podcast category, with nominees including Call Her Daddy and Good Hang with Amy Poehler. The Golden Globes ignored more politically charged podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Show, which was Apple’s most popular podcast in 2025.
Bad news for sequels 🥈🥉— Wicked: For Good, the conclusion of the Wicked series, did not land a nomination for Best Musical or Comedy, even though the first film did. Same story with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third installment of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series.
What is a box office, anyway? 📺 — Netflix’s hit KPop Demon Hunters got nominations for a Box Office Achievement category — surprising because ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ was only in cinemas for two weekends this year. The category, introduced in 2024, was previously given to two films with large cinematic releases.
The Golden Globes is on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. Comedian Nikki Glaser will once again host the ceremony.
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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE WATCHING (PUN INTENDED)
Job Layoffs Top 1 Million In 2025 As Trump Faces Growing Economic Backlash
More than a million people were laid off from their jobs in 2025, according to new data — the highest number since the peak of the pandemic in 2020. It comes as Americans are feeling financially stretched, with an increasing number blaming President Trump for economic instability and high prices on goods.
Trump is feeling the pressure: He signed a long-awaited farm aid package Monday to offset tariff pain and low crop prices that have led to high food prices; on Tuesday, he’s headed to Pennsylvania to tout his economic agenda ahead of the 2026 midterms. At the same time, just last week, Trump called any criticism regarding affordability during his administration a “con job” by Democrats.
Meanwhile, economists warn of more price increases coming as soon as January, when holiday discounts end and retailers run low on inventory they bought at pre-tariff prices.
BEHIND THE JOB LOSSES
From January to November 2025, companies have cut nearly 1.2 million jobs, according to new numbers from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That’s up 54% from 2024 and the highest since the 2020. (If you set 2020 aside as a pandemic outlier, it’s the highest since 2009 — just after the financial crash.)
Companies attribute the cuts primarily to corporate restructuring, artificial intelligence, and Trump’s tariffs. Small businesses have been leading the decline in jobs, saying tariffs have hit them particularly hard.
The tech squeeze: More than 10% of job losses were in the tech industry, and nearly 55,000 job cut announcements were reportedly tied to AI this year.
The new data comes as Americans are voicing increased frustration about the state of the economy under President Trump.
THE BLAME GAME
A recent Politico poll revealed an increasing number of Americans blame President Trump for the high costs they’re experiencing at grocery stores, while holiday shopping, and in virtually all aspects of life. Nearly half of those surveyed said the cost of living for Americans feels the worst they can ever remember it — including nearly 40% of 2024 Trump voters.
More Americans say Trump holds most or all responsibility for the economy (46%) than those that believe Biden does (29%). Notably, a quarter of Trump voters say the economy is Trump’s fault.
Still, three out of four Trump voters say they trust the Republican Party over Democrats to ease the overall cost of living; though that number drops when you remove self-described MAGA Republicans from the equation.
Why it matters: The numbers reveal a problem for Trump and Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats successfully captured frustrations about the economy to win key races in the 2025 off-election year with campaigns focused on the affordability crisis. According to the latest Yale Youth Poll, the cost of living is the top issue for 91% of voters aged 18-34.
Damage control: In the same week Trump called himself the “affordability president,” he also told reporters during a cabinet meeting that the word “affordability” is a “con job by Democrats.” The Washington Post reported that Trump’s advisors have been urging him to promote his administration’s accomplishments to Americans — such as lower prices on gas, eggs, and some medications. He’s headed to northeast Pennsylvania Tuesday to do just that.
MORE PAIN COMING?
Next year could bring a new wave of pain for consumers, as major retailers warn of price increases after months of Trump’s tariffs. Trump has placed tariffs on nearly all goods imported to the U.S. — the average rate is about 17%, the highest since the 1930s — affecting everything from coffee to furniture to cars.
So far, companies have been able to keep prices relatively low, only passing on about half the cost of tariffs to consumers, according analysis by Goldman Sachs. But that could change in the new year.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Politico tariffs aren’t the issue: “People are worried about housing, they’re worried about health care — things we don’t import,” he said. “Where trade comes into it is when you have a trade system in place that protects U.S. jobs, you get higher incomes.”
Yet, amid economic uncertainty and job losses, Americans have continued to spend. More than $44 billion was spent over a 5-day stretch during Thanksgiving weekend (including Black Friday and Cyber Monday)—a 9% increase over last year.
.🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
The Controversy Behind The Diddy Documentary
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his entourage are reportedly livid over a new, critical Netflix docu-series about him, produced by long-time rival Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson. “Diddy: The Reckoning” hit #1 on the streaming platform this weekend, as the Diddy camp called it a “shameful hit piece” that relied on “stolen footage.”
The four-part documentary spans Diddy’s upbringing, music career, and eventual downfall after being arrested amid allegations he coerced his former girlfriends into sexual encounters with hired male escorts and orchestrated drug-fueled sex parties called “freak offs.”
Diddy was ultimately acquitted of the most serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges, but convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He is currently serving four years in prison.
Combs’ mother, Janice, spoke out against the film, including what she calls are “lies” portraying her as an abusive parent and describing him slapping her during a fit of rage.
Rapper ‘50 Cent’ insists the documentary was not made as a personal vendetta, but it has sparked controversy across the music industry.
DOCUMENTARY DETAILS
The series includes interviews with jurors from the federal trial against Diddy, women who accused him of sexual assault (dozens of lawsuits are still pending), childhood friends, and colleagues. It also details his abuse of former girlfriend Cassie, who testified at his trial.
The ‘stolen’ footage: The series opens with never-before-seen footage of the rap mogul just prior to his September 2024 arrest. Diddy’s team, who reportedly hired the videographers, has said the footage — where he says he’d “fight for his life” against allegations — was never authorized for release and illegally obtained.
The filmmakers say they got their hands on it after he was arrested. Multiple reports claim that the videographer, whose identity remains anonymous, was never paid by Combs after he was taken into custody
The Tupac-Biggie storyline: Episode 2 attempts to reset everything we know about the storied rivalry, including allegations that Diddy was involved in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996 and was jealous of Biggie and Tupac’s friendship.
The series is a revealing, and often disturbing, ride through the life of a highly fraught and powerful man in the music industry. If you have four hours to spare, we highly recommend watching it for yourself.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Farmers getting $12B bailout from Trump after trade war pain (AXIOS)
Trump says he’ll sign an executive order restricting states’ ability to regulate AI (BUSINESS INSIDER)
Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett running for Senate, report says (KOMO)
Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba resigns as New Jersey U.S. Attorney after appeals court defeat (ABC)
Former FBI agents fired for kneeling amid 2020 protests sue Patel, Bondi (POLITICO)
NYC mayor-elect tells residents how to resist ICE agents knocking at their door in new video (FOX)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
Evacuation orders issued in Japan after powerful earthquake triggers tsunami warning (CNN)
Syria marks one year since the fall of the Assad regime (NPR)
Saudi Arabia to open more alcohol stores as curbs ease, sources tell Reuters (NEW ARAB)
100 schoolchildren abducted in Nigeria are released but more are still held (AP)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
Jared Kushner, Saudis, Qataris & Emiratis are backing Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros. (MO NEWS)
Confluent stock soars 29% as IBM announces $11 billion acquisition dea (CNBC)
China’s trade surplus tops record $1 trillion as exports rebound (NIKKEI ASIA)
Trump administration drops Biden-era $11M fine on Southwest Airlines (THE HILL)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Water leak in the Louvre damages hundreds of works, museum says (GUARDIAN)
2026 World Cup ‘Pride Match’ to feature Egypt versus Iran — where homosexuality is illegal (BBC)
Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Japan for alleged ecstasy smuggling (AP)
Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry go Instagram official (CNN)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… A giant Christmas tree in the city of Bethlehem has been lit for the first time since 2022. 🎄
The city, revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus, didn’t engage in public Christmas celebrations over the past two years as war raged in Gaza. But, as a ceasefire in Gaza enters its second month, the city held a ceremony on Saturday night.