Following her 1996-2002 tenure at Studio 8H, Ana Gasteyer saw a fair share of diva behavior, particularly from Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
The Saturday Night Live alum recently recalled the May 9, 1998 episode of the NBC sketch comedy show, for which a high-maintenance Diddy served as the musical guest, demanding “a totally closed set” during his rehearsal.
“He of course shut down the whole building. You can tell the five a—holes in the six years that I was there when they would be like, ‘So-and-so is in the building, everybody stay in your dressing rooms!’” said Gasteyer on the Las Culturistas podcast. “Which is applicable if you’re a presidential candidate. But apart from that, really it’s my house. He demanded a totally closed set.”
She recalled her SNL co-star Will Ferrell was in costume as his ‘Mango’ character Ron when Combs took the stage for his rehearsal.
“They were like, ‘Wouldn’t it be so funny if Ron just went in?’” she said. “And he did. He went on down the stairs and he marched right in. And I have the video from the control room where Sean Combs is rapping and behind him, Ron is just walking around looking really disoriented.”
Gasteyer added, “It is the greatest thing that’s ever happened, because what a deserved person to have their ‘Kashmir’ moment interrupted by Ron. And he really did not roll with it. He was very uncomfortable.”
Ferrell previously recounted the moment in 2020, sharing the video. “Someone said, ‘Ron should go up onstage,’ and before everyone turned to see, I had sprinted out the door,” he said.
After Combs’ ex Cassie Ventura previously filed a rape and abuse lawsuit against him last November, several other men and women have come forward with more allegations. Combs was arrested in September in connection to an FBI raid on his LA and Miami homes in March.
