Bono seemingly swerved Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attempt to kiss him on his cheek in a video that resurfaced after the rapper’s arrest for sex trafficking.
In the clip from the 2014 Golden Globe Awards, Combs, Usher and Kate Beckinsale were onstage presenting U2 with the award for best original song for “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.”
Bono looked happy while taking his trophy from Usher before Combs interrupted and gave him a congratulatory hug.
Bono gave Combs a quick side hug but then turned his head toward the audience as the rapper appeared to try to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Combs’ smile immediately faded, and he subsequently walked offstage with Beckinsale.
Despite the awkward interaction, the two seemed to shake it off, as they were seen hanging out at the afterparty later that night.
“Diddy tried to kiss Bono and got the cold shoulder, awkward!” one X user wrote Monday.
“That moment was definitely awkward—celebrities have some of the most unexpected encounters!” another viewer chimed in.
“Bono [is] like get away from me dude,” a third fan surmised.
Reps for Combs, now 54, and Bono, now 64, did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
However, a source tells us that the whole thing “simply was an awkward moment” and nothing more that fans should read into.
Combs’ legal battles began last November when his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him and accused him of sex trafficking and physical abuse. They quickly settled the suit, but it led to an investigation into Combs’ past that eventually resulted in his arrest in New York City on Sept. 16.
The music producer was charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Since his arrest, more than 100 alleged victims, including 25 minors, have come forward to accuse Combs of misconduct.
“We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors. We will pursue this matter no matter who the evidence implicates,” Texas-based lawyer Tony Buzbee, who is representing 120 individuals in civil lawsuits, said during a bombshell press conference last week.
Combs’ legal team has denied the claims, telling Page Six, “He cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus.
“That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
Combs’ arrest has reportedly made some celebrities who attended his past parties nervous, and an alleged explicit tape with an A-list star who is “more high profile” than the Bad Boy Records founder himself is said to have been shopped around recently.
A source told The Post on Friday that the unnamed male celebrity allegedly featured in the video is “horrified” thinking about its potential release.
“It feels like a betrayal and a violation, and it’s causing a lot of issues,” the insider added. “It brings up some really disturbing and bad memories.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.