Lizzo seeks dismissal in lawsuit detailing sexual harassment allegations
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A lawsuit filed against Lizzo by a former employee who accuses the singer of repeated sexual and racial harassment should be dismissed, Lizzo's attorneys argue in new court papers, describing the plaintiff as a short-term employee who did not obey her supervisors' instructions.
Plaintiff Asha Daniels' Santa Monica Superior Court suit names as defendants the entertainer, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson; her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc.; Lizzo's wardrobe manager, Amanda Nomura; and Lizzo's tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta. Daniels was hired as an assistant to Nomura and held her job for less than three weeks, according to Lizzo's attorneys' court papers.
But according to court papers filed Friday with Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark Epstein, during her brief employment Daniels refused to comply with instructions from her supervisors and tour management, failed to perform the work that she was assigned, and eventually just played "hooky" and refused to show up for work.
"After abandoning her job and being terminated as a result, plaintiff initiated this specious lawsuit and alleges claims against defendants for harassment and discrimination ..." Lizzo's lawyers state in their court papers.
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Daniels has no connection to California and therefore has no basis for relief under California law, Lizzo's lawyers further maintain.
In her suit filed Sept. 21, Daniels says she designed the wardrobe for the dancers who would be on Lizzo's 2023 tour. The plaintiff's other causes of action include disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination and assault. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Daniels' complaint was brought a month after Lizzo was sued by three former dancers who say they were weight-shamed and forced to endure illegal sexual, religious and racial harassment and disability discrimination.
Lizzo denied the plaintiffs' allegations and said there is "nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world."
Daniels, who like Lizzo is Black, looked forward to working with the performer and her team because of the values the singer shows in public, but the opposite turned out to be true, the plaintiff's court papers state.
Throughout her employment with Lizzo, Daniels says she heard racist and "fatphobic" comments from Nomura, who allegedly mocked both Lizzo and the singer's background dancers on multiple occasions.
Nomura would imitate the dancers and Lizzo by doing an offensive stereotypical impression of a Black woman, according to Daniels' court papers, which further state that Nomura referred to Black women on the tour as "dumb," "useless" and "fat."
Daniels complained often to Nomura, who rebuffed the plaintiff, Daniels' court papers state.
Daniels and other crew members also received threats of physical harm from Nomura, according to Daniels' court papers, which further state that the plaintiff was fired in March and suffers from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraines, sight distortions, brain fog and fatigue.