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Paula Abdul sues American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe on a number of counts of sexual assault in a lawsuit he calls ‘deeply offensive.’
Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit within the Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom claiming that producer Nigel Lythgoe had sexually assaulted her on two events whereas they labored collectively on American Idol and So You Suppose You Can Dance. Lythgoe says he’s “shocked and saddened” by the allegations towards him, asserting that the connection was “completely platonic.”
Abdul’s lawsuit was filed beneath California’s Sexual Abuse and Cowl up Accountability Act, which permits civil sexual assault fits to be made whatever the statute of limitations. She is suing the defendants — Lythgoe, 19 Leisure, FremantleMedia North America, American Idol Productions, and Dance Nation Productions — for sexual assault/battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, and negligence. The go well with outlines that American Idol Productions is a subsidiary of FremantleMedia, whereas Dance Nation Productions is a subsidiary of 19 Leisure.
In accordance with the submitting, Lythgoe first sexually assaulted Abdul within the early 2000s “whereas on the street for the regional viewers,” throughout considered one of American Idol’s first seasons. The 61-year-old Abdul was a decide on American Idol between 2002 and 2009.
Abdul says that upon coming into an elevator, Lythgoe “shoved (her) towards the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts and commenced shoving his tongue down her throat.” She “tried to push Lythgoe away from her and let him know that his conduct was not acceptable.”
Following the incident, Abdul says she known as considered one of her representatives to allow them to know what had occurred, however that she was afraid to take motion “for concern that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.”
The lawsuit additionally alleges that Abdul was “discriminated towards by way of compensation and advantages in comparison with one of many present’s male judges and the host,” in addition to being “the goal of fixed taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment,” whereas engaged on the present.
Abdul claims the second assault befell in 2015 whereas she was a decide on So You Suppose You Can Dance. The lawsuit particulars a dinner at Lythgoe’s house that Abdul had attended, believing it to be knowledgeable invitation, the place the producer is alleged to have “compelled himself on high of Abdul whereas she was seated on his sofa and tried to kiss her whereas proclaiming that the 2 would make a wonderful ‘energy couple.’”
Additionally in 2015, the lawsuit alleges that Abdul witnessed an assault carried out by Lythgoe towards the singer’s assistant. The 74-year-old Lythgoe has denied the allegations towards him, citing Abdul’s “historical past of erratic conduct” and promising to “battle this appalling smear with every little thing I’ve.”