Why Is Paula Abdul Suing Nigel Lythgoe?

Paula Abdul CMA Awards 2023
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In 2017, the #MeToo movement rocked Hollywood. Survivors banded together to shine a light on the industry’s underbelly. Following Cassie’s explosive rape and repeated physical abuse lawsuit against Diddy, people feel another reckoning is on the horizon. One of the latest entertainment professionals to come forward in the court of law is “Opposites Attract” singer, choreographer, and television host Paula Abdul.

On December 29, Abdul filed a lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Why Is Paula Abdul Suing Nigel Lythgoe?

According to documents obtained by Rolling Stone, Abdul accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions. The pair worked together on competition shows, American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. Abdul alleges that near the beginning of American Idol, Lythgoe assaulted her. Although she did not provide a specific timeline for the alleged attack, Lythgoe served in a producer role on American Idol off and on between 2004 and 2012 as documented on IMDB.

However, Abdul did claim in her legal paperwork that Lythgoe assaulted her again in 2014 when she served as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance. Lythgoe maintains his innocence in the matter. Read his full statement provided to TMZ below.

To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement. For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear — and entirely platonic — friends and colleagues. Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press, and I want to be clear: not only are they false, but they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for.

While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.

Nigel Lythgoe Denies Paula Abdul Sexual Assault Allegations

American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has denied sexual assault allegations leveled against him by Paula Abdul. “To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement. For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear — and entirely platonic — friends and colleagues. Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for,” Lythgoe said in a statement to TMZ.

Furthermore, Lythgoe also used his statement to undermine the credibility of Abdul. “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have,” he noted. He did not elaborate on the nature of this “well-known erratic behavior”. However, it could refer to her alleged affair with American Idol contestant Corey Clark.

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What Allegations Has Paula Abdul Made About Nigel Lythgoe?

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 06: Paula Abdul, Nigel Lythgoe arrives at the Goldie Hawn Hosts Annual Goldie’s Love In For Kids at Ron Burkle’s Green Acres Estate on May 6, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)

First reported by TMZ, Abdul has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Lythgoe under California’s Sexual Assault And Cover Up Accountability Act. Abdul’s suit claims that Lythgoe assaulted her multiple times during the early seasons of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? while she served as a judge. The suit recounts an initial assault in an elevator while they were overseeing regional audiences for American Idol. Abdul claims to have informed her reps immediately after the incident but chose to stay quiet publicly for fear of retaliation.

Furthermore, the suit recounts a second incident when Lythgoe assaulted Abdul at his home after inviting her over to discuss “work opportunities”. The assault reportedly occurred in 2015, soon after Abdul renewed her contract on So You Think You Can Dance? Additionally, Lythgoe reportedly called her to “celebrate” the statute of limitations expiring on his initial assault.

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Triller Announces Boxing Competition Series ‘So You Think You Can Fight’

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After the unstoppable buzz surrounding their celebrity boxing matches, Triller Fight Club announces the next phase of the brand with a new boxing competition series, titled So You Think You Can Fight. Partnering with TV super-producer Nigel Lythgoe, Triller will produce an unscripted competition series with a similar format to the popular competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”

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Reported as a weekly series, “So You Think You Can Fight” will be an hour-long show that pairs a celebrity action star with a pro fighter, each who will select an amateur boxer through a global talent search and competition audience voting and participation. The selected contestants will undergo a series of mental and physical training, fighting against each other with one winner for each division — lightweight, heavyweight, and MMA. The show’s winner will go on to a pro bout on a Triller Fight Club main event to launch their pro boxing career. 

“So You Think You Can Fight” is slated to premiere late-2022 on Triller’s new streaming platform, Triller Verzuz TV, formed by TrillerNet’s recent acquisition of the Timberland and Swizz Beatz-created live streaming channel Verzuz and global live event streaming platform, FiteTv.

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“Triller has built something extraordinary, and they truly have their finger on the pulse of where live event entertainment is headed,” Lythgoe said. “As a lifelong fan of music and boxing, I am thrilled to be getting into the ring with Ryan, Snoop and the whole Triller team to join their disruptive and innovative journey. Everyone is fighting for something in this world, and I’m excited to tell the many fascinating stories behind the raised gloves.”

“Nigel Lythgoe is a giant among giants, and his new role at Triller is a total game-changer for us,” said Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of Triller Fight Club parent company TrillerNet. “Nigel has changed the face of competition-based television around the world, and there is no one better to help us bring the excitement of Triller Fight Club to our global audiences, both through our exciting new streaming series and by adding his visionary storytelling abilities to our Fight Club events. We could not be more excited to welcome Nigel to the Triller team.”

“Boxing and dancing share the same movements and the same rhythm, and who better to take Fight Club to the next level that the person who brought the world ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ the iconic talent discovery platforms where music, competition, movement and showmanship all count towards the victory, which in our case is hopefully by a knockout,” said Triller Fight Club partner Snoop Dogg.

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