Grammy-winning singer and former "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" judge, Paula Abdul, has filed a lawsuit against executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, accusing him of assault, harassment, gender-based violence, and negligence.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, details two separate incidents in the early 2000s and 2015, respectively.
In the first incident, Abdul claims Lythgoe assaulted her in an elevator during travel to "American Idol" auditions. The complaint alleges Lythgoe pushed Abdul against the wall, groped, and kissed her. Despite her protests, Abdul says she feared reporting the incident due to potential professional retaliation.
The second incident occurred in 2015 when Lythgoe allegedly attempted to kiss Abdul at a business dinner at his home. Abdul rejected his advances, emphasizing the professional nature of the meeting. Abdul also claims to have witnessed Lythgoe assaulting her assistant in 2015.
Lythgoe, responding to the allegations, called them "false" and "deeply offensive" and pledged to fight against the accusations. Abdul's lawsuit names 19 Entertainment Inc. FremantleMedia North America Inc., American Idol Productions Inc., and Dance Nation Productions Inc. as co-defendants, accusing them of negligence and ratifying Lythgoe's actions by failing to supervise him.
Abdul alleges compensatory discrimination on "American Idol" compared to male counterparts and cites constant ridicule, intimi--tion, humiliation, and harassment. The lawsuit seeks unspecified punitive damages for gender violence and harassment.
Abdul's attorney, Douglas L. Johnson, stated that the decision to file the lawsuit was challenging but emphasized Abdul's determination to seek justice.
The lawsuit falls under California's Assault and Concealment Liability Act, allowing claims for damages resulting from a assault outside the statute of limitations to be filed within a specific timeframe.
