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​‘Unbelievable’: Star breaks silence on lawsuit ​

Author: Editors Desk Source: News Corp Australia Network:
August 3, 2023 at 15:45

Pop singer Lizzo has hit back against claims that she fat-shamed dancers, made them touch naked people and created a hostile work environment.

One of the three women bringing the case said she had no choice but to “soil herself” on stage after she and others were forced to go through a long and excruciating re-audition for their dancing jobs.

She claimed she feared losing her job ifIn the Instagram post, Lizzo said the claims were “sensationalised stories” from former employees who had “publically admitted.. they were told their behaviour was inappropriate and unprofessional”. she asked to go to the toilet.

After several days, Lizzo responded on social media on Thursday morning, US time.

“These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing,” the singer said.

“Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)


The dancers’ claim is against Lizzo – full name Melissa Viviane Jefferson – and her dance captain Shirlene Quigley as well as Big Grrrl Big Touring.

One of the alleged incidents involved a concert trip with the Grammy Award-winning artist to Amsterdam in February 2023.

It’s claimed Lizzo invited them for a night out on the town — which ended in the city’s red light district. The area is known for its sex theatres, sex shops and clubs and bars where nudity is on full display.

The lawsuit stated, “ … things quickly got out of hand. Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”

The suit also claimsed Lizzo “pressured” and “goaded” Ms Davis into touching one nude performer’s breasts, the New York Post reported.
 

Lizzo performs on stage during The Special Tour at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, October 25, 2022. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)
Lizzo performs on stage during The Special Tour at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, October 25, 2022. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) 
 

The trio claimed that, just a month later, Lizzo, 35, deceived them once again into attending a nude show, thereby “robbing them of the choice not to participate,” the documents stated.

Ms Davis also claimed in the lawsuit that at one point she had no choice but to “soil herself” on stage during an “excruciating” re-audition, “fearing the repercussions” of excusing herself to go to the toilet.

Eventually, Lizzo allegedly fired Ms Davis “on the spot” after learning she had recorded one of their meetings. Ms Davis said it wa

Ms Rodriguez resigned shortly thereafter out of solidarity with Ms Davis and the “disrespect” Lizzo allegedly showed her.

The lawsuit claims she “feared that Lizzo intended to hit her and would have done so if one of the other dancers had not intervened”.

The three are suing for general and special damages, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.

“The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are … absolutely demoralising,” the women’s lawyer, Ron Zambrano, said in a statement.


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