Paula Abdul has accused former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her within the early 2000s when she was a choose on the truth competitors present, in response to a brand new lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles additionally accuses Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and have become a choose on Lythgoe’s different competitors present “So You Think You Can Dance.”
The Associated Press typically doesn’t determine alleged victims of sexual assault until they arrive ahead publicly, as Abdul has achieved.
In an announcement Saturday, Abdul’s lawyer Douglas Johnson applauded the singer and dancer for talking out publicly.
“It was clearly a difficult decision to make, but Ms. Abdul knows that she stands both in the shoes and on the shoulders of many other similarly situated survivors, and she is determined to see that justice is done,” Johnson mentioned.
Lythgoe mentioned in an announcement that he was “shocked and saddened” to listen to of the allegations made by Abdul, who he mentioned he thought of a “dear” and “entirely platonic” good friend.
“While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue,” Lythgoe mentioned within the assertion. “But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.”
The lawsuit states Abdul remained silent for years concerning the alleged assaults out of concern of retaliation by “one of the crucial well-known producers of tv competitors reveals.”
Before “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” on which Lythgoe served as a choose for 16 seasons, he was a producer on the British present “Pop Idol,” which turned a world franchise that features the U.S. iteration starring Abdul.
According to the lawsuit, the primary sexual assault occurred whereas Abdul and Lythgoe had been on the highway filming auditions for an earlier season of “American Idol,” which premiered in 2002.
Abdul says Lythgoe groped her within the elevator of their resort after a day of filming and “started shoving his tongue down her throat.” Abdul pushed him away and ran to her resort room when the elevator doorways opened.
“In tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the assault,” the lawsuit says, “but ultimately decided not to take action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired from American Idol.”
Abdul, a Grammy- and Emmy-winning artist, starred as a choose for the primary eight seasons, leaving in 2009.
In 2015, Abdul turned a choose on “So You Think You Can Dance,” showing alongside Lythgoe.
Around that point, Abdul alleged within the lawsuit, Lythgoe pressured himself on high of her throughout a dinner at his dwelling and tried to kiss her. Abdul mentioned she once more pushed Lythgoe away and instantly left.
Abdul left the truth present after two seasons. She has not labored with Lythgoe since.
The lawsuit additionally accuses Lythgoe of taunting Abdul concerning the alleged assaults, saying to her years later that “they should celebrate” because “the statute of limitations had run.”
Abdul filed the go well with days earlier than the Dec. 31 deadline of a California regulation that opened a one-year window for victims to file lawsuits involving sexual abuse claims after the statute of limitations has run out.
More than 3,700 authorized claims had been filed below an analogous regulation in New York that expired final month.
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.