In the latest update regarding Lizzo’s shocking lawsuit—in which three of her former backup dancers accuse her of sexual, religious and racial harassment and more—the “Juice” singer is firing back in a new motion to dismiss the suit entirely, this time with backup.
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Per Billboard, in addition to the new motion, which was filed over the weekend, lawyers for Lizzo also provided sworn statements of support from 18 of her current Big Grrrl/Big Boi dancers and crew that gave a different interpretation of the popular singer. The statements challenged several of the allegations in the suit including the most shocking of all: body/fat-shaming.
“I never saw anyone, including plaintiffs, being weight shamed or body shamed,” one dancer wrote. “Far from it. Lizzo inspired all of us to celebrate and love ourselves and our bodies as we are.”
Another dancer, who described herself as the “biggest dancer on the tour,” stated: “Lizzo always went out of her way to make me feel secure and confident in my body, including by making sure I was comfortable in every single costume for the show.”
What’s more, attorneys for Lizzo also called the suit a “fabricated sob story” put forth by “opportunists” seeking “a quick payday.” They also said that the suit stems from women with “an axe to grind” who’d previously shown “a pattern of gross misconduct and failure to perform their job up to par.”
“Plaintiffs embarked on a press tour, vilifying defendants and pushing their fabricated sob story in the courts and in the media. That ends today,” Lizzo’s lawyers wrote. “Instead of taking any accountability for their own actions, plaintiffs filed this lawsuit against defendants out of spite and in pursuit of media attention, public sympathy and a quick payday with minimal effort.”
They’re seeking to get the case dismissed on the grounds of California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which provides for a special motion to strike a complaint where the complaint arises from activity exercising the rights of petition and free speech.
As previously reported by The Root, this motion follows a prior one filed in September where the “Truth Hurts” singer’s legal team asked the judge to dismiss the suit “in its entirety with prejudice” (the latter of which means charges of that nature could not be filed against her in the future.) Those court documents listed over 30 “affirmative defenses,” that argued that “there was no injury, loss or damage to Plaintiffs” and that those same plaintiffs are “guilty of unclean hands” and therefore not legally entitled to damages. The documents also demand for a jury trial if for whatever reason the charges are not dismissed.
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