Pop singer and former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against several executives of the iconic show, citing multiple instances of alleged sexual assault, harassment and bullying.
More specifically, the singer, dancer, and actress filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing “American Idol” executive producer and “So You Think You Can Dance” judge Nigel Lythgoe of sexual assault and gender-based violence against her, according to the New York Times.
Abdul, 61, whose Billboard smash hits included “Straight Up,” “Opposites Attract,” and “Knocked Out” in the early 1990s, stated in legal documents that she was the target of endless instances of “taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment from several executives, agents, employees, and/or representatives of Defendants,” the filing alleges.
Her main focus, however, was on Lythgoe, 74, a British TV executive, director, and choreographer, whom she says assaulted her on at least two occasions. Lythgoe vehemently denies the accusations.
In the first alleged instance, Abdul said she and Lythgoe were on the road together when he suddenly grabbed her genitals and breast and forced his tongue in her mouth while they rode a hotel elevator together.
“Abdul attempted to push Lythgoe away from her and let him know that his behavior was not acceptable. When the doors to the elevator for her floor opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and to her hotel room,” her attorneys stated in the complaint. “In tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the assault, but ultimately decided not to take action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired from ‘American Idol.’”
The second alleged violent episode took place in 2015 when Abdul was asked to be a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Abdul contends that Lythgoe invited her to his home for dinner to discuss it when he allegedly assaulted her in a similar fashion.
“Toward the end of the evening, Lythgoe forced himself on top of Abdul while she was seated on his couch and attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple,’” the lawsuit alleges, according to “Fox News.”
“As with the earlier incident, Abdul feared she would be retaliated against or blackballed if she spoke out about the incident,” Abdul’s lawyers said in the complaint.
Lythgoe said he is “shocked and saddened” by the accusations from a “platonic” friend.
“For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear — and entirely platonic — friends and colleagues. Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for,” Lythgoe said in a statement obtained by People magazine.
“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. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.”
