Accusations of Sexual Harassment and Body Shaming
The halftime show at the Super Bowl is the pinnacle of many artists’ careers. This year, it won’t be for Lizzo. According to the Daily Mail, the singer has been excluded from the list of artists who could take the stage at the Halftime Show of Super Bowl LVII, next February in Las Vegas. Precluding this possibility are accusations of sexual harassment and body shaming. The 35-year-old pop star, who has made body positvity a battle, has been accused by Crystal Williams, Noelle Rodriguez and Arianna Davis. The three, who are her former dancers, have filed a lawsuit against her and accused her of creating a hostile work environment: they accuse her of fatphobia, of having forced them to touch a nude performer in Amsterdam, of threats if they didn’t do their job well.
NFL Source on Lizzo’s Exclusion
An internal source at the NFL, the professional American football league, told the Daily Mail that there is no possibility this year for the singer, who until a few weeks ago seemed to be in pole position for the show, but also for the possibility of singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Another source told the newspaper that Lizzo’s clan is working to save her career and her reputation, as there would be others, six more people, bringing new accusations against the singer. “It is becoming increasingly difficult with more and more people coming forward accusing her of extremely inappropriate acts. If she speaks, her statements are shredded. If she stays quiet, she is called cowardly. In any case, at the moment it does not seem that she can recover.” Ron Zambrano, the lawyer who follows the case of the first three dancers, said he will also evaluate these new accusations coming from dancers who have been on tour with Lizzo or have participated in her show. The accusations are also of unpaid payments.
Lizzo’s Response
Since the lawsuit was filed, Lizzo has lost more than 120,000 followers on Instagram, despite trying to reject all accusations with a message. “My work ethic, morality and respect have been questioned. My character has been attacked. I usually choose not to respond to false accusations, but these are as incredible as they sound and too outrageous not to address. These sensational stories come from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional. As an artist I have always been very passionate about my work. I take my music and my performances seriously because in the end I just want the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. I have always maintained high standards and treated my employees with respect.”
