Defiant Lizzo claims she did ‘nothing wrong’ amid sexual harassment lawsuits

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

As a seasoned observer of the entertainment world, I must say that the ongoing legal battles surrounding Lizzo have certainly piqued my interest. While it is disheartening to see such a talented and vibrant artist embroiled in such complex issues, it is an unfortunate reality that fame often comes with its own set of challenges.

Lizzo recently spoke out about the sexual harassment allegations made against her by three previous dancers and an ex-stylist, which were brought forth last year.

In September 2023, Asha Daniels filed a lawsuit against the 36-year-old singer, claiming that she experienced a hostile work environment filled with sexualized, racially charged behavior during her time with the singer’s Big Grrrl Big Tour company, which she believes was also illegal.

The harassment and discrimination lawsuit was tossed out of a California court earlier this month.

In August 2023, the singer faced yet another legal action from three ex-backup dancers who claimed she had behaved inappropriately towards them through sexual harassment, body shaming, and creating an unpleasant working atmosphere.

In a conversation on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, the unyielding celestial body declared the case dismissal as a significant triumph and asserted that no wrongdoing was involved.

We’ll keep contesting those remaining claims until they’re officially ruled as unfounded, rather than voluntarily letting them go.

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits
Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

Speaking about the challenging period following the conclusion of her first arena tour in 2023, she shared: “I had been living my dream, but when the tour ended, I was suddenly hit with a lawsuit from three former dancers out of nowhere.

I felt quite profoundly wounded as the absent performers were once dancers, thus they missed the tour. They failed to complete the tour alongside us. However, it’s worth noting that they were individuals who I had provided chances for professional growth.

I found myself fond of them as dancers and respectful towards them in their profession. However, upon learning about allegations of sexual harassment, I was taken aback and felt uncertain. It seems the media might exaggerate or misinterpret situations like this one.

‘Let’s be clear, I did nothing wrong.’

One of the sensational allegations made by her dance group was that they visited an Amsterdam strip club together, and it was suggested she participated in activities such as attempting to catch dildos thrown by performers from their bodies, and consuming bananas positioned within the performers’ bodies.

Lizzo clarified that she visited Bananenbar independently, explaining: “I was in Amsterdam, so I went to Bananenbar on my own. The dancers were not accompanied by me; they showed up at the club where I was present. My visit was not a mandatory invitation for them, and I wasn’t aware that those specific dancers would be attending.

‘Mind you, only two of them came, even though all three of them said they did, it was only two.’

She added it was a ‘very consensual’ experience.’ 

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits
Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

Lizzo mentioned that she has been released from the Daniels lawsuit, explaining further that a judge reviewed the case details and determined in a legal setting that “this matter should not proceed.

According to Daniels’ attorney Ronald Zambrano, the lawsuit against Lizzo is still ongoing and hasn’t been dropped. The court decision wasn’t based on a lack of evidence, but rather due to technical issues related to the court’s jurisdiction. This ruling in no way clears Lizzo of the serious allegations that took place under her supervision.

All named defendants were removed from the case due to the legal boundaries of Title VII and FLSA claims. Since neither an individual nor someone like Lizzo’s tour manager can be held responsible for these specific claims, neither they nor any other person (including someone sweeping the floor) could be sued under Title VII or FLSA. This is why both Lizzo and her tour manager were taken out of the case.

‘It had nothing to do with the merits of the claims. The lawsuit still moves forward against Lizzo’s company, Big Grrl Touring, as to all claims except for the overtime allegation. The Ninth Cause of Action for Unpaid Overtime was also dismissed for jurisdictional, not evidentiary reasons, given claims for unpaid overtime only apply for work done within the United States. Lizzo and her tour manager will still be deposed in connection with the lawsuit.’

Simultaneously with her work for the producer Daniels, she asserted that she experienced both physical and verbal abuse at the hands of her manager, Amanda Nomura.

A year later, Lizzo asked for the dismissal of the ‘unwarranted’ and ‘groundless’ harassment lawsuit.

Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha dismissed various claims made by Daniels against Lizzo’s tour company – which also included allegations of unpaid overtime, per Page Six. 

In simpler terms, the judge allowed a part of the lawsuit to be dismissed because Asha was employed by Lizzo in Europe instead of the U.S.

According to the report, Aenlle-Rocha said that these accusations do not convincingly prove that any part of the plaintiff’s claim originated from work done in the United States or its associated territories.

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

The judge added that Lizzo’s former wardrobe assistant failed to provide evidence of overtime work during the star’s Big Grrrl Big Tour.

According to a source, the singer intends to challenge the untrue accusations being made against her, as reported by The New York Post.

It’s clear why Lizzo persists even when many public figures might give up – it’s because the accusations against her are untrue, and they shouldn’t be accepted as fact.

The source added, “She won’t give up her battle until each and every one of these absurd allegations has been cleared.

Although the artist herself won’t be legally accountable for the harassment allegations, it appears that her touring organization is still subject to a lawsuit, according to TMZ’s reports from yesterday.

Towards the end of 2023, in December, Lizzo requested that a lawsuit filed against her by her previous tour stylist over allegations of harassment and discrimination be dropped.

Her lawyers submitted a request to discard the lawsuit initiated by Asha Daniels, the former employee, who they referred to as a ‘dissatisfied’ worker.

According to court documents acquired by People, the legal representatives of the singer stated that the ongoing lawsuit is deemed ‘baseless and scandalous.’

In her legal argument, it was claimed by her lawyer that Daniels didn’t complete the tasks given to her and later stopped showing up for work altogether, essentially playing truant.

According to the records, it was indicated that Asha was dismissed due to leaving her duty unattended during Lizzo’s performance in Paris, France.

The attorneys cited two reasons for the dismissal: it was filed in the wrong location, and Daniels ‘is a New York resident who worked for a Delaware corporation in Europe’ and thus the designer ‘has alleged no nexus to California.’

Last September, Asha disclosed details about the artist’s suspected workplace environment filled with sexualization, racial bias, and illegality. She asserted that she had been subjected to physical abuse, verbal threats, and was forbidden from eating by her manager.

Daniel (the subject) has initiated a legal action against Lizzo (the object), accusing her of physically and verbally abusing him, specifically his manager Amanda Nomura, during his employment with Lizzo – approximately a month following a string of startling accusations made by three backup dancers associated with the artist.

Asha spoke out about some of the horrible things that she says she endured during her time as one of Lizzo’s employees during an interview with ABC News for an episode of the show Impact x Nightline. 

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

She claimed that Amanda wasn’t just making cruel remarks about her, but also disparaged the artist who sings Good as Hell.

As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but share my distressing observations about Amanda. Unfortunately, she often targets Lizzo and larger women with her harsh words. She frequently refers to them as “overweight” and makes a series of inappropriate comments such as, “Idle,” “Lazy,” or even worse.

Asha stated that she had been employed to create costumes for Lizzo and her backup dancers during “The Special Tour” a few months ago. However, she asserted that she was let go unjustly after only two weeks on the job.

When Lizzo’s representative refuted Asha’s allegations, they highlighted the fact that they had never had a meeting or conversation with the celebrity.

She sued for sexual and racial harassment, in addition to disability discrimination. She also asked for damages which include unpaid wages, loss of earnings, and others.

Previously, three backup dancers had filed lawsuits against Lizzo for sexual and racial misconduct about a month before Asha made her allegations, which were similar in nature.

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

Crystal Williams, Noelle Rodriguez, and Arianna Davis assert that they were compelled to witness humiliating sexual performances and endured various awkward circumstances during their employment with the celebrity.

Back in February, a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court declined to dismiss a sexual harassment case against Lizzo.

In that moment, Ron Zambrano’s lawyer expressed satisfaction in the judge’s decision through a statement to People, stating, ‘We find the verdict favorable overall, and indeed, we view it as a clear triumph.’

Previously discarded assertions included accusations of body shaming by Davis and instances where dancers were required to remain idle even though they weren’t on tour.

Defiant Lizzo claims she did 'nothing wrong' amid sexual harassment lawsuits

However, the lawyer also emphasized that the initial allegations still stand, encompassing issues like sexual, religious, and racial discrimination, sexual misconduct, humiliating trips to establishments such as the Bananenbar in Amsterdam and Crazy Horse in Paris, wrongful detention, and physical abuse.

The decision makes it clear that even celebrities like Lizzo are not exempt from such despicable behavior, simply due to their fame. Now, we’re eager to gather evidence and prepare our case for the upcoming trial.

Regardless of the ongoing lawsuits, Lizzo has remained active on social media, sharing glimpses of her significant weight loss that has sparked speculation about her use of Ozempic.

Previously in April, the artist made it clear that she wasn’t leaving the music world altogether, despite having announced an unexpected exit a month prior.

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2024-12-20 02:05

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