Paula Abdul Alleges Sexual Assault and Harassment by 'American Idol' Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe
Paula Abdul files a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, alleging sexual assault, harassment, gender violence, and negligence Grammy-winning entertainer and former judge making serious accusations
Grammy-winning entertainer and former judge on "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance," Paula Abdul, has filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of those programs. She is accusing him of sexual assault, harassment, gender violence, and negligence. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, details two separate incidents that Abdul claims occurred in the early 2000s and in 2015.
Abdul claims in the complaint that "Lythgoe pushed Abdul against the wall" of an elevator and then proceeded to grope and kiss her while they were traveling for regional auditions for "American Idol" during the initial incident.
The complaint further states that "Abdul tried to push Lythgoe away and make it clear that his behavior was unacceptable."
During the second incident, Abdul claims that Lythgoe tried to kiss her and forced himself on top of her while she was seated on his couch during a business dinner at his home in 2015. Despite her rejection and explanation that she was not interested in his advances, Abdul believed that the meeting at his house was purely professional.
Abdul refrained from reporting the incidents at the time due to fear of professional retaliation, as stated in her complaint. Additionally, she alleges witnessing Lythgoe assaulting her assistant in a separate incident in 2015.
Abdul has filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe and has listed 19 Entertainment Inc., FremantleMedia North America Inc., American Idol Productions Inc., and Dance Nation Productions Inc. as co-defendants. She accuses them of gender violence, sexual harassment, and negligence, claiming that they failed to oversee Lythgoe and "ratified and/or authorized Lythgoe's sexual assault and battery of Abdul." She is seeking unspecified punitive damages.
CNN has reached out to Lythgoe and the companies mentioned in the complaint for their comments. The complaint alleges that Abdul experienced discrimination while working on "American Idol" in comparison to one of the male judges and host of the show, and that she was subjected to ongoing taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment.
Abdul alleges that as a result of the incidents, she has experienced significant emotional distress, fear, anxiety, humiliation, embarrassment, and both physical and emotional injuries. Her lawsuit states that these injuries are substantial, ongoing, and permanent.
Abdul's lawyer, Douglas L. Johnson, stated on Saturday that although it was a difficult decision, Abdul is committed to seeking justice as a survivor and standing up for others in similar situations.
Abdul filed a lawsuit under the Californias Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which permits claims for "damages resulting from a sexual assault" that occurred beyond the statute of limitations to be filed within a specific timeframe.
