One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Former MOCA Director Mistakes P. Diddy As Kanye West At Art Event
Talk about feeling awkward. Jeffrey Deitch, the former controversial director of MOCA, greeted P. Diddy with "Hi, Kanye" at Miami's huge Art Basel festival on Thursday.
A witness told Page Six that after Deitch realized what he had done, he looked mortified, and Diddy laughed it off.
Deitch even wrote an email to Page Six to explain the mix-up:
“There was a big crowd gathered at the entrance to an art fair booth. I asked the dealer what the commotion was about and she said, ‘Kanye is here.’ I could only see the person from the back, and went over to say ‘Hi Kanye’. To my great embarrassment, it turned out to be P Diddy. He thought it was very funny, especially since we had spent several hours together visiting my street art show in Los Angeles.”
However, it looks like Diddy didn't realize Deitch had left Los Angeles to become a New York art dealer, according to Hrag Vartanian of Hyperallergic, who witnessed the awkward encounter.
Looks like they're even.