Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit accusing ‘American Idol’ producer Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her on a number of events.
Abdul filed at a Los Angeles courthouse on Friday (December 29). She recalled two incidents the place Lythgoe allegedly obtained bodily and forceful along with her.
Paula Abdul’s Surprising Claims In opposition to Nigel Lythgoe
Abdul judged the favored expertise present from 2002 to 2009 alongside Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell. She detailed an alleged incident the place she had shared an elevator with the producer throughout one of many present’s “preliminary seasons” within the early 2000s.
When the doorways closed, Lythgoe allegedly pushed Abdul up in opposition to the wall and “grabbed her genitals and breasts,” her swimsuit claims, per Deadline. He allegedly “shoved his tongue down her throat.”
Paula managed to tug away and shun his habits earlier than heading to her resort room and reporting the incident to her representatives. She finally selected to not pursue any authorized motion over fears that Lythgoe would have her fired from ‘Idol.’
The lawsuit states:
“For years, Abdul has remained silent in regards to the sexual assaults and harassment she skilled on account of Lythgoe resulting from concern of talking out in opposition to one of the crucial well-known producers of tv competitors exhibits who might simply break her profession as a tv character and of being ostracized and blackballed by an trade that had a sample of defending highly effective males and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment.”
The FOX expertise present was arguably the largest competitors collection of its time, catapulting the careers of artists equivalent to Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks.
In line with PEOPLE, the lawsuit additionally claims Paula confronted discrimination “when it comes to compensation and advantages in comparison with one of many present’s male judges and the host.” She additionally claims she was the “goal of fixed taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment.”
One other Alleged Sexual Assault Incident Adopted
In 2015, Abdul was a decide on ‘So You Suppose You Can Dance,’ one other competitors collection that Lythgoe was government producing on the time.
The ‘Straight Up’ singer initially thought she had acquired a “skilled invitation” to his residence. However upon her arrival, the swimsuit described how Lythgoe “pressured 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.”
She, once more, shoved him away and rejected his advances earlier than leaving his property.
The swimsuit additionally named Abdul’s former assistant, April, who allegedly suffered a separate incident of sexual assault by Lythgoe in April 2015.
“One night, Lythgoe approached Abdul and April from behind, pressed himself up in opposition to April, and started to grope her. April didn’t consent,” the lawsuit said.
Lythgoe has but to deal with Paula Abdul or her lawsuit.
