Who is Rob Shuter? Diddy's former publicist pens op-ed about ignoring signs of rapper being a "monster" due to his own ambition

On June 18, 2025, Diddy's former publicist from 2002 to 2004, Rob Shuter, wrote a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter titled “I Was Diddy’s Publicist. I Didn’t See a Monster or Chose Not To."

According to his Amazon author profile, Rob Shuter was dubbed "America's Number ONE Gossip Columnist" by The National Enquirer and is credited with breaking celebrity news on his website NaughtyGossip.com.

The gossip columnist has co-hosted celebrity news segments on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Day New York, The Today Show, CNN, Extra, The Talk, and Z100’s Elvis Duran.

In his guest piece for The Hollywood Reporter, Shuter mentioned that Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing allegations of s*xual assault, physical abuse, r*pe, and s*x trafficking, all of which the rapper has denied. However, these allegations left the publicist thinking what was more damning; "Not knowing? Or not wanting to know?"

Shuter mentioned that he didn't see the rapper's "alleged behavior" and delved into the ways he might have refused to see it. However, he clarified that his refusal to spot Sean Combs' alleged behavior stemmed from awe and ambition, not malice.

"What’s horrifying is how ordinary this becomes. It’s not that we saw a monster and did nothing. It’s that we saw a man — charming, charismatic, generous when it suited him — and ignored the signs that something more sinister might be underneath. Because asking those questions meant jeopardizing everything: access, reputation, money. So, we didn’t ask." Rob Shuter wrote

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Diddy's former publicist describes 'airport security' at the rapper's residence and more

In his piece, reflecting on how he had ignored the signs of Diddy being a "monster", Rob Shuter described the rapper's residence. Shuter said he had been to multiple celebrity homes. However, he never had to walk through a metal detector except at Combs' residence.

"But at Diddy’s house? It was like airport security. That’s when the little voice inside me whispered, “This isn’t normal.” I ignored it." Shuter mentioned

The rapper's former publicist recalled that Combs' residence allegedly had guns everywhere, with big guys giving blank expressions and tracking every move. Shuter said that if the rapper needed a favor, he'd make a call, and the work would be done. However, now that the gossip columnist looks back, he realizes it "feels like something darker" than just power or influence.

Moreover, Rob Shuter described an incident wherein an agency had a photo of Diddy with a mysterious girl, and the rapper allegedly ensured the picture was never seen again. Shuter claimed that Combs made the photo go away with money, without a public comment or lawsuit.

The rapper's former publicist dubbed him "the king of staging photographs", describing that he had a list of trusted photographers who'd "bump into" Combs when the rapper helped homeless people or visited Harlem.

"One day, I was busy with another client and had my assistant arrange the pap setup for one of Diddy’s “random” acts of generosity. When the assistant called Diddy to confirm, he went ballistic. I was the only one allowed to know he staged those moments. Keeping his secrets was part of the job." Rob Shuter recalled

Additionally, Shuter mentioned that Combs was the only private individual he knew of having a "bank-grade cash counting machine", adding that it wasn't flair but rather control.

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In his piece, Shuter said that his guest piece wasn't just about Sean Combs but also about the systems that allow people like the rapper to flourish without being challenged.

Edited by Bharath S