Lizzo's legal team has responded to the s**ual harassment lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers, dismissing the allegations as a “fabricated sob story” created by opportunists looking for a quick payday.
In court documents filed on Friday (Oct. 27) in Los Angeles, Lizzo's lawyers argued that the lawsuit, which claims s**ual harassment, discrimination, and fat-shaming, was brought forth by three individuals with ulterior motives and a history of misconduct and failure to perform their job adequately.
Martin D. Singer, a prominent Hollywood attorney representing Lizzo, wrote, “Plaintiffs embarked on a press tour, vilifying defendants and pushing their fabricated sob story in the courts and in the media.
That ends today,” adding that the plaintiffs filed the lawsuit out of spite and for personal gain rather than taking responsibility for their own actions.
To support their motion, Lizzo's legal team submitted sworn statements from 18 members of her touring company who contradict many of the specific factual claims made in the lawsuit.
Some of these statements challenged the headline-grabbing accusation that Lizzo fat-shamed her dancers, an allegation that contradicts the singer's public image promoting body positivity.
“I never saw anyone, including plaintiffs, being weight shamed or body shamed,” one dancer stated.
“Far from it.
Lizzo inspired all of us to celebrate and love ourselves and our bodies as we are.”
Lizzo's attorneys argued that the case should be immediately dismissed under California's anti-SLAPP statute, a law designed to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits that infringe upon free speech rights.
It is uncommon to see an anti-SLAPP motion used in a s**ual harassment lawsuit involving former employees and their employer.
Such motions are typically employed in defamation cases, where the defendant argues that the plaintiff is using the court system to silence them.
However, Lizzo's lawyers contended that the anti-SLAPP law could be applied to this case due to the creative nature of the work involved.
They claimed that the complaint and the plaintiffs' highly publicized media campaign surrounding it are an attempt to stifle Lizzo's creative expression and use it against her.
The lawsuit against Lizzo, filed in August by dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, accuses the singer and her company of creating a hostile work environment through various forms of misconduct, including s**ual harassment, religious discrimination, and racial discrimination.
The alleged weight-shaming is also regarded as disability discrimination.
One particularly vivid allegation in the lawsuit claims that Lizzo pressured the dancers to attend a live s** show in Amsterdam's Red Light District and engage with performers, including participating in acts involving bananas.
The lawsuit states that Lizzo led a chant encouraging one dancer to touch a performer's bre-sts, which she eventually did.
However, Lizzo's tour manager, Molly Gordon, disputed this account, stating that she had spoken with Davis at the event and received no indication that she was uncomfortable or felt forced to be there.
Another significant allegation in the lawsuit involves Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo's dance team, who allegedly imposed her religious beliefs on the plaintiffs and engaged in inappropriate behavior, such as simulating oral s** on a banana in front of them.
Several members of the touring company provided sworn statements refuting these allegations.
One dancer stated that the lawsuit's portrayal of Quigley was inaccurate and that she had never treated anyone differently based on their religious beliefs.
The lawsuit also detailed instances of alleged outbursts by Lizzo, including a re-audition during which one dancer claimed to have wet herself due to fear of being fired.
The lawsuit further alleges that Lizzo repeatedly told dancers their jobs were not secure and made thinly veiled comments about one dancer's weight gain.
However, Asia Banks, a dancer on the tour, stated that she never experienced anything like that and that Lizzo always made her feel secure and confident in her body.
Other statements from tour members cited performance issues and behavioral problems with Lizzo's accusers.
One bass player claimed that Davis had been lax in her performances, hygiene, and health, while the tour manager stated that Williams had been terminated for frequently being late to rehearsals and missing a flight.
Attorneys representing Davis, Williams, and Rodriguez strongly refuted Lizzo's latest filings, dismissing the anti-SLAPP argument and the statements from other dancers who they claim are either defendants accused of wrongdoing or individuals on Lizzo's payroll.
They argue that these statements should not be considered by the judge and that their clients have numerous independent witnesses to support their claims.
The legal battle between Lizzo and her former dancers continues as both sides present their arguments in court.
