In 1999, a young reporter attended a beach party thrown by hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in the Hamptons, impersonating millionaire financier Ted Ammon to gain access. The party was filled with celebrities like Jay-Z, designer Betsey Johnson, and other Hamptons socialites. The reporter managed to slip past security with the help of a woman who claimed to be his guest and gained entry to the star-studded event.
Inside the party, the atmosphere was wild with R&B music, topless women in the swimming pool, and models handing out champagne. The reporter enjoyed the food, served by white servers in golf shirts bearing a “PD” insignia, and mingled with guests like Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Russell Simmons, Ivanka Trump, and more. The party was a spectacle with juggling acts, magicians, and scantily-clad women dancing atop wooden platforms.
Despite not being a famous guest, the reporter managed to have interactions with several celebrities at the party. He flirted with Carmen Electra, got a contact high from Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes, and even thanked Diddy for throwing a great party. While there were some people passed out, the atmosphere was not as scandalous as some may have expected. The reporter did not witness any illicit activities like sex toys or drugs at the party.
The real Ted Ammon, whom the reporter impersonated, was tragically murdered in his Hamptons estate two years after the party. The society-murder case made headlines for years, as it was discovered that Ammon was bludgeoned to death in his bed by his estranged wife’s electrician boyfriend. The reporter reflected on the events of that night, speculating on whether the real Ted Ammon had attended the party or if he had unknowingly taken his place during the millionaire’s absence.
The party at Diddy’s mansion in the Hamptons was a star-studded affair with music, drinks, and beautiful people, but it also had a darker undercurrent with the tragic fate of Ted Ammon looming in the background. The reporter’s experience impersonating the millionaire for a night allowed him to witness a world of glamour and excess that was both thrilling and surreal. Despite the celebrity interactions and wild atmosphere, the party also served as a reminder of the darker side of privilege and fame, embodied by the real Ted Ammon’s tragic end.
