Paula Abdul has filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, accusing him of sexual assault during her time as a judge on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
The lawsuit alleges two instances of assault, one in an elevator during “American Idol” and another at Lythgoe’s home during “SYTYCD.”
Additionally, Abdul claims to have witnessed Lythgoe assaulting one of her assistants. (Trending: Transgender Actor ‘Purposefully Misgendered’ By Airline Employee)
She also accuses him of verbal harassment and bullying, as well as discrimination in pay.
The lawsuit was filed under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, extending the statute of limitations for civil suits in certain sexual assault cases.
The production companies behind the shows were also named as defendants.
“To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement,” Lythgoe said.
“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.”
“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.”
“Lythgoe shoved Abdul against the wall, then grabbed her genitals and breasts, and began shoving his tongue down her throat,” the court papers stated.
The suit added, “Abdul attempted to push Lythgoe away from her. When the doors to the elevator for her door opened, Abdul ran out of the elevator and to her hotel room.”
“Abdul quickly called one of her representatives in tears to inform them of the assault.”
“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 read.
“Abdul pushed Lythgoe off of her, explaining that she was not interested in his advances and immediately left.”
“For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” the suit added.
“Indeed at one point Lythgoe called Abdul and taunted her that they should celebrate because it had been ‘seven years and the statute of limitations had run.”
“Lythgoe clearly knew that his assaults of Abdul were not just wrong but that he held the power to keep her silent.”
Abdul’s legal representation praised her courage in coming forward.
“AB 2777 was passed with the express purpose of giving voice to survivors of sexual abuse who had been pressured, coerced, or otherwise deterred from holding their abusers to account in the pre-MeToo era,” managing partner Douglas L. Johnson said.
“We are proud to help provide Ms. Abdul with access to the courts and a megaphone for her story to be told.”
“Ms. Abdul should be commended for the immense courage required to take action against the type of abuse that was inflicted upon her,” Johnson added.
“Particularly when the alleged abuser is a figure so dominant in her profession. 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.”
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