2023-08-02 06:36:15
Joseph Okpako / WireImage ROSKILDE, DENMARK – JULY 01: Lizzo performs at Roskilde Festival 2023 on July 01, 2023 in Roskilde, Denmark. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
Joseph Okpako / WireImage
Lizzo, here in July, at Roskilde Festival, Denmark.
HARASSMENT – Lizzo in turmoil? American media such as NBC News, news channel, and the specialized site Variety, revealed on Tuesday, August 1, that three of the American superstar’s former dancers are suing her. They accuse him, among other things, of sexual harassment and of having created a hostile work environment.
Their names: Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. They report on “sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and forcible confinement, among other things”their law firm said in a statement.
The first two started performing for Lizzo following appearing on her reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, in 2021, and were subsequently dismissed. The third, hired the same year following filming in the music video for Rumorsresigned in 2023.
In their lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, that NBC News et Variety obtained and which AFP was able to consult, they also implicate the captain of the dance team, Shirlene Quigley, whom they accuse in particular of having made fun of their physique, their sexual relations in public or of the virginity of one of them. She is also accused of having tried to spread her Christian faith, in particular concerning sex before marriage, “despite protests”.
Contacted by NBC News and Variety, neither Lizzo nor its legal representatives have yet reacted to these accusations. They also did not respond to requests from AFP.
A 12-hour repeat under tension
Several examples are cited in the NBC News article. After a show at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, Lizzo and Shirlene Quigley reportedly found Arianna Davis “ less committed “, a disguised comment in reference to its weight, according to the concerned.
During a trip to a strip club in Amsterdam following a concert, Lizzo would have invited the dancers ” to touch the naked bodies of the performers », « to touch them with dildos » et « to eat bananas protruding from their vagina “, states the complaint. Lizzo is also said to have pressured Arianna Davis to touch the breasts of one of the naked women.
A week later, the singer would have pushed them to follow her to a club in Paris, following a concert there once more, for “Let them be inspired”, without knowing what type of club it was. It was only there that they discovered that it was a cabaret where the dancers were naked.
The complaint also describes a disturbing work atmosphere, such as during a twelve-hour rehearsal during which Lizzo, if she was not satisfied, might fire the dancers on the spot, whom she suspected of drinking alcohol. alcohol before performances.
Dismissals and resignation
During this rehearsal, Arianna Davis explains that she was so afraid of losing her job if she went to the bathroom, that she soiled her pants. She was given a see-through outfit with no underwear to complete the performance, the complaint says.
Crystal Williams says she was fired following questioning Lizzo’s word regarding the pre-concert drinking rumor. Arianna Davis, she, for having filmed the meeting during which Crystal Williams would have made these remarks. Finally, Lizzo would have made the middle fingers by shouting insults at Noelle Rodriguez when she expressed her desire to resign.
The dancers also claim there was a long-standing dispute over their pay.
According to NBC News, the lawsuits do not specify any amount of compensation, including for unpaid wages, lost income or attorney’s fees. As of this writing, Lizzo and Shirlene Quigley have not responded, not even through the voice of a spokesperson.
See also on Le HuffPost :
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