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A Los Angeles judge has denied Lizzo’s request to have a lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers thrown out.
The US singer and her Big Grrrl touring company face a series of allegations from dancers Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez, dating between 2021 and 2023.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, accuses Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) of creating a hostile work environment in addition to allegations of religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.
Lizzo described the suit as a “fabricated sob story” and filed her own motion asking the court to dismiss it under the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statute, which allows defendants to quickly dismiss meritless suits that threaten their right to free speech.
In a 34-page ruling, Judge Mark H. Epstein dismissed certain claims – including that the singer fat-shamed one of her dancers and required dancers to pose for a nude photoshoot – but said the lawsuit did not fit into anti-SLAPP legislation in its entirety, reports NBC News.
“This case presents a number of difficult issues. And the courts are rightfully wary of injecting themselves into the creative process,” concluded Epstein. “Finding the right balance is often no easy task, and this case is a perfect example.
“We plan to appeal all elements that the judge chose to keep in the lawsuit and are confident we will prevail”
“It is dangerous for the court to weigh in, ham-fisted, into constitutionally protected activity. But it is equally dangerous to turn a blind eye to allegations of discrimination or other forms of misconduct merely because they take place in a speech-related environment.”
Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the judgement.
“We are pleased that Judge Epstein wisely threw out all or part of four of the plaintiffs’ causes of action,” says Lizzo’s spokesperson Stefan Friedman. “Lizzo is grateful to the judge for seeing through much of the noise and recognising who she is — a strong woman who exists to lift others up and spread positivity. We plan to appeal all elements that the judge chose to keep in the lawsuit and are confident we will prevail.”
The plaintiffs’ attorney Ron Zambrano, meanwhile, says: “We’re very pleased with the judge’s ruling, and we absolutely consider it a victory on balance… We now look forward to conducting discovery and preparing the case for trial.”
Lizzo also faces a separate lawsuit from Asha Daniels, who worked as a wardrobe designer on the 35-year-old’s 2023 tour. Daniels is suing the star and her team for alleged sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and illegal retaliatory termination.
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Lizzo’s legal representatives has launched a motion calling for a harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed by a former tour employee to be dismissed.
Asha Daniels, who worked as a wardrobe designer on Lizzo’s 2023 tour, is suing the American singer and her team, alleging sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and illegal retaliatory termination.
However, Lizzo’s lawyer Martin Singer has hit back at the “meritless and salacious” case, claiming it was filed by a “disgruntled” former worker whose employment had been terminated after just weeks in the job.
“During her brief employment by BGBT [Big Grrrl Big Touring, Lizzo’s touring company], plaintiff refused to comply with instructions from her supervisors and tour management, failed to perform the work that she was assigned and, eventually, just played hooky and refused to show up for work,” says Singer. “Unsurprisingly, she was terminated after abandoning her post on the day of a concert in Paris, France.”
According to the Guardian, a spokesperson for Lizzo has called the lawsuit “a bogus, absurd publicity stunt” and alleged Daniels had “never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo”.
Singer further argues the suit should be thrown out immediately on jurisdiction issues, since it was filed in California when Daniels “is a New York resident who worked for a Delaware corporation in Europe… She has alleged no nexus to California”.
“We remain committed to seeking justice for our clients, and look forward to our day in court where Lizzo can explain her behaviour in a public forum”
In response, Daniels’ lawyer Ron Zambrano has branded the move “another Hail Mary by Lizzo’s team to try to shift blame to the victims, as she has done to the three other plaintiffs who have sued her for similar allegations of harassment, disability discrimination and retaliatory termination”.
“Lizzo and her lawyers can continue trying to rationalise her illegal and wretched conduct but we remain committed to seeking justice for our clients, and look forward to our day in court where Lizzo can explain her behaviour in a public forum,” he adds.
It was revealed in August that three of Lizzo’s former dancers are suing the singer over allegations including sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. The star (real name Melissa Jefferson) and her touring company face a string of claims from dancers Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez, dating between 2021 and 2023.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses Lizzo of creating a hostile work environment in addition to allegations of religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment. In addition, the 35-year-old and choreographer Tanisha Scott are accused of body-shaming.
In October, Lizzo’s Big Grrrl touring company filed a motion to dismiss the filing, which she described as a “fabricated sob story”. That motion is still pending.
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Lizzo’s Big Grrrl touring company has filed a new motion to dismiss the lawsuit accusing the singer and her company of sexual harassment, discrimination and fat-shaming, among other charges.
The American singer and her touring company face a string of claims from dancers Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez, dating between 2021 and 2023.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, accuses Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) of creating a hostile work environment in addition to allegations of religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment. The 35-year-old and choreographer Tanisha Scott are also accused of body-shaming.
Lizzo has now described the lawsuit as a “fabricated sob story” and has filed her own motion asking the court to dismiss it.
As reported by Rolling Stone, the singer and her representatives allege that the dancers in question had shown a “pattern of gross misconduct”.
The filing states: “Plaintiffs missed flights, arrived late and hungover to rehearsals and drunk to performances, entered into consensual sexual relationships with male crew members on tour, exhibited a rapid decline in the quality of their dancing and professionalism, and ultimately conspired to make and disseminate an unauthorized recording of a creative meeting with Lizzo and the dance cast.”
The singer and her representatives allege that the dancers in question had shown a “pattern of gross misconduct”
Included in the motion are written declarations from 18 of Lizzo’s employees disputing the claims first filed by a trio of former dancers.
The motion asks the court to dismiss the lawsuit under the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute, which has the power to strike down lawsuits that threaten free speech.
The three dancers are represented by the attorney Neama Rahmani, who told Rolling Stone: “Even a first-year law student can see that ‘free speech’ does not cover Lizzo and her team’s illegal sexual harassment and racial, religious, and disability discrimination. The defense’s declarants are either defendants accused of wrongdoing, or people who are on Lizzo’s payroll, and their statements can’t be considered by the judge. That’s a question for the jury.
“Our clients have dozens of independent witnesses who support their stories, and we continue to receive inquiries from other former Lizzo employees who want to be new plaintiffs.”
In August, the attorney claimed that his firm is reviewing at least six new complaints about the singer.
In September, Lizzo’s personal legal team issued court documents asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit “in its entirety”.
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