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.
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.
Paula Abdul has filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, an executive producer on American Idol. First reported by TMZ, 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.
Abdul filed her suit under the California Sexual Assault And Cover Up Accountability Act. Another famous face who was recently sued under the act is Vin Diesel. The lawsuit was brought against Diesel by Asta Jonasson, who briefly worked as Diesel’s assistant during the production of Fast Five. According to Jonasson’s suit, she was present for a hotel suite party in which Diesel was entertaining a number of women. However, after the last woman left, Diesel reportedly assaulted Jonasson. The assault allegedly happened when she tried to get Diesel to discreetly leave the hotel.
Per the suit, Diesel forcibly grabbed her and kissed her without consent while also allegedly groping her breast. Jonasson’s suit goes on to allege that Diesel lifted up her dress and attempted to pull down her underwear. Furthermore, she alleges that he pinned her against a wall and placed her hand on his erection. Diesel then reportedly masturbated on her before leaving. Hours after the alleged assault, Jonasson said she received a call from Diesel’s sister. Vincent serves as the president of his production company. During that call, Jonasson was abruptly fired from her job. She alleges this was due to her resistance to Diesel’s assault. Diesel is yet to respond to the allegations. Additionally, Jonasson stated she did not come forward earlier due to shame, and fear of reprisal given her green card status.
Dwight Howard has filed a motion seeking a pre-trial dismissal of the lawsuit brought against him by Stephen Harper. Howard’s motion calls Harper’s alleged assault “consensual”. Additionally, the motion also states that the lawsuit is “frivolous” and born of “unrequited love” on the part of Harper. Furthermore, Howard and his legal team accused Harper’s attorneys of submitting doctored text messages as evidence. This came after Harper’s team filed previously unseen text messages to the court.
“In short, the totality of the text messages between Mr. Howard and Mr. Harper make it abundantly clear that Mr. Harper’s claims are frivolous, that he was a willing participant in the events of July 19, 2021, and the early morning hours of July 20, 2021, and that the touching of his person had been invited by him. More importantly, the explicit messages not only show consent but also that Mr. Harper was initiating some of the sexual contact. Mr. Harper not only invited the initial experience, but tried to initiate a second encounter because the first was so enjoyable,” Howard’s motion read in part. The court has yet to rule on the motion.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – FEBRUARY 19: Center Dwight Howard #12 of the Taoyuan Leopards reacts at the courtduring the T1 League game between TaiwanBeer HeroBears and Taoyuan Leopards at University of Taipei Tianmu Gymnasium on February 19, 2023 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
Howard has been accused of sexually assaulting a man at his home. Howard has formally denied sexually assaulting model Stephen Harper. However, he did not deny inviting Harper to his home for a threesome, which allegedly involved a cross-dresser named Kitty. Furthermore, Harper alleges that he was forced to perform sexual acts on Howard and that Howard performed non-consensual acts on him after he objected to participating in the activity.
Furthermore, allegations of Howard’s predatory behavior have been corroborated in the months following the Harper’s lawsuit. “He goes to sex parties and preys on younger men. That is why he originally why he threatened, forced, and tried to intimidate me into signing a NDA,” influencer and author Masin Elije wrote on social media. Additionally, Elije claimed that they had also been harassed by “Kitty” in 2018. It is believed that is the same cross-dresser that Howard used in an attempted threesome with model Stephen Harper.
Last month, Diddy’s ex Cassie filed a lawsuit against the Bad Boy Records founder, accusing him of rape, physical and emotional abuse, and more. The two of them settled shortly after she filed, but her suit was followed by three similar ones. Diddy has since denied the allegations.
Now, it appears as though the mogul is gearing up for a serious legal battle, enlisting the help of some prominent attorneys. According to AllHipHop‘s Kyle Eustice, Diddy now has Jonathan D. Davis, Alyssa M. Pronley, and Anthony C. LoMonaco on retainer. The outlet reports that they’ll represent him in his cases against former Syracuse University student Joi Dickerson-Neal and against an anonymous woman. Dickerson-Neal accuses him of sexually assaulting her in 1991 while the anonymous woman accuses him and Harve Pierre of gang-raping her when she was 17.
Sean “Diddy” Combs attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Following news of his fourth sexual assault lawsuit, Diddy took to social media to once again deny the allegations. “Enough is enough,” his message began. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear; I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
In light of the suits, at least 18 different brands have reportedly cut ties with Diddy. It was also recently revealed that he had a Hulu show in the works, Diddy+7, which has now been scrapped. He’s additionally in the running for a Grammy, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be invited to the awards ceremony. “We are taking this matter very seriously and we are in the process of evaluating it with the time and care that it deserves,” the Recording Academy announced this week. What do you think of Diddy securing his legal team amid his sexual assault lawsuits? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Recently, Diddy was hit with his fourth sexual assault lawsuit from a woman accusing him and others of raping her back in 2003, when she was only 17 years old. The anonymous woman claims to have met the Bad Boy Records founder when she was in high school, after Harve Pierre invited her to visit him in the studio. From there, she recalls allegedly being asked to sit in Diddy’s lap and being given drugs and alcohol. After that, she alleges that Diddy, Pierre, and another unnamed man raped her in a bathroom.
The woman’s attorney included photos from the alleged victim’s encounter with Diddy, which she claims work to support the allegations. In the photos, the alleged victim appears to be sitting in Diddy’s lap, though the individual’s face is obscured. Other photos show her posing in various locations in his studio.
Her attorney says that the photos “[prove] that she not only met Mr. Combs on the night in question, but was in his studio, in New York City, with him on that night.” Following news of the lawsuit, Diddy took to social media to share a message with fans, denying the allegations. “Enough is enough,” he wrote. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear; I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
What do you think of Diddy being hit with yet another sexual assault lawsuit? What about the photos of Diddy with his alleged victim? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Despite the court settlement with Cassie after being accused of sexual assault, rape and human trafficking, the weight of the accusations are still affecting Hip Hop mogul Diddy with Harlem’s Capital Preparatory Schools cutting ties with him amidst the allegations.
Dr. Steve Perry, the founder and head of schools for Capital Preparatory, issued a public statement about their decision to terminate their association with Diddy, citing it was in the best interest of the organization’s health and future.
Diddy played a key role in launching the charter school’s Harlem location in 2016 and had gave a $1 million donation in 2021 for its new Bronx location.
The termination of the partnership occurred shortly after Diddy announced his temporary step down as the chairman of Revolt yesterday(November 28).
Former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo now appears on the long list of men facing lawsuits under the ASA. The Adult Survivors Act is a legislation that was enacted in November 2022. However, it had a one-year look-back period that was meant to end on November 24, 2023. As a result of the impending expiration, there was an unexpected surge in the number of lawsuits filed within the final weeks. Consequently, several prominent names, including Cuba Gooding Jr. and former pro footballer Marcellus Wiley, among others, had cases filed against them. Unfortunately for the former governor, he now faces a lawsuit of his own under the ASA.
Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched.
I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years.
Although this is the first lawsuit filed against him under the ASA, Andrew Cuomo has previously been accused of sexual assault. The first of many was from Lindsey Boylan, a former aide of his. In a series of tweets shared on December 13, 2020, she shared, “[he] sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched.” Furthermore, she stated that “I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years.”
Subsequently, Cuomo’s office addressed the accusations, claiming that they were false. However, that was only the beginning, as several other women eventually spoke up against the former governor. Following a second accusation from Charlotte Bennett on February 27, 2021, Cuomo finally released a statement personally. “At work sometimes, I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business,” he said.
Cuomo tendered his apology, stating further, “I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended. I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that.” Unfortunately for him, the statement did not stop accusations from rolling in.
Investigations Into The Claims
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 09: Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo attends the Tribeca Festival Welcome Lunch during the 2021 Tribeca Festival at Pier 76 on June 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
Throughout March 2021, several allegations from multiple women were made against Andrew Cuomo. Concurrently, on March 11, an investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations was approved by the New York Assembly. Five months after the investigation was approved, shocking results were revealed. According to the report, throughout his time in office, Cuomo allegedly sexually assaulted 11 women, three of whom chose to remain anonymous. Throughout the ordeal, Cuomo maintained that he was innocent. However, following the release of the report, President Joe Biden called upon him to resign. On August 10, 2021, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, and he stepped down soon after.
Brittany Commisso, a former executive assistant to Andrew Cuomo, now faces her former boss head-on. Back in 2021, she was one of the 11 women whom Cuomo was found to have sexually assaulted. While she stayed silent for the most part following his resignation, she has chosen to speak against him once more. On November 24, 2023, right before the ASA expired, she filed a lawsuit against Cuomo. In detail, Commisso alleges that throughout the time she worked with Cuomo, she was subjected to “humiliating and demeaning tasks, hugs, kisses, sexual touching of the buttocks and forcible touching of the breast.” In her statement to the New York Post, she said further:
“It disgusts me that Andrew Cuomo is even considering running for public office in the wake of Mayor Adam’s alleged sexual harassment when he himself will not accept responsibility or even acknowledge his sexual harassment of me, aside from numerous other victims, while the governor of our state,” Furthermore, according to Commisso’s court filings, she was demoted after she accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct in March 2021. Subsequently, she was resigned to “the demeaning task of answering telephones in the Lieutenant Governor’s office until moved to other offices.”
In response to Commisso’s lawsuit, Cuomo’s lawyer Rita Glavin dismissed her accusations. “Ms. Commisso’s claims are provably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation,” the lawyer said. “Ms. Commisso’s transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court.” There have been no further updates on this case as of yet.
Marcellus Wiley has gone most of his life without major legal troubles. However, it seems even he may not escape the grasp of the Adult Survivors Act. In an unexpected turn of events, Wiley has been hit with a sexual assault lawsuit filed under the ASA.
This is one of many more lawsuits of this kind that have been filed recently. Concurrently, the allegations against Marcellus Wiley place him among the high-profile men with cases filed against them just before the ASA expired. Notably, celebrities like Sean Combs and Jamie Foxx have been accused of sexual misconduct within the last few weeks. Moreover, Cuba Gooding Jr. has been hit with assault allegations yet again. Nonetheless, let’s take a look at the case against the former pro footballer.
What Are The Allegations Against Marcellus Wiley?
15 SEP 2002: San Diego Chargers Marcellus Wiley during a game against the Houston Texans at the Qualcomm Stadium Sunday September 15, 2002, in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
An alumnus of the prestigious Columbia University, Marcellus Wiley graduated with a degree in Sociology in 1997. Now, over two decades after leaving the school, he has been accused of doing something inadequate in his time there. On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, an unnamed woman who claims to be an alumna of the university filed a lawsuit against him. According to the document, the plaintiff was a student of sociology herself, with a focus on race and culture. However, in the fall of 1994, she was a freshman, and Wiley was a sophomore when he allegedly forced himself on and raped her. Additionally, she claims that he relentlessly ignored her verbal objections and robbed her of her virginity in the process.
Excerpts From The Lawsuit
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 03: (L-R) Annemarie Wiley and Marcellus Wiley (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Shine Global Inc)
The lawsuit was filed in New York State Supreme Court, and excerpts from the document have since been shared by PEOPLE. “Defendant Marcellus Wiley told plaintiff he would come visit her later that evening in her room,” it states. “Plaintiff responded: ‘Okay, but I don’t have sex. I’m a virgin.’ Defendant Marcellus Wiley laughed and responded, ‘Relax, relax, wow! I don’t mean like that! I’m just going to come by there to get food from Grandma’s [Restaurant], so I’ll just come up to say hi before I head back.’ Defendant then joked that ‘nobody liked having sex with virgins.’”
Subsequently, the plaintiff allegedly apologized to Wiley, informing him that she just wanted to be upfront with him. She did this so that “he would not feel misled” about her intentions and what she was willing to do. Afterward, Wiley allegedly responded, “Ain’t nobody tryna have sex with no virgin! Don’t worry, I got you. Just coming to hang out while I eat. I don’t even have condoms on me.”
Following their conversation, Wiley eventually joined the woman in her single room, according to the lawsuit. In short, soon after his arrival, he allegedly sexually assaulted the plaintiff and raped her multiple times. The lawsuit further alleges that “[Wiley’s] actions were intentionally designed to cause plaintiff severe emotional distress or were taken with reckless disregard of the significant and/or substantial probability of causing plaintiff severe emotional distress.” In addition, the lawsuit states that “the following spring, while on mandatory leave, plaintiff attempted suicide. Plaintiff was admitted to a locked hospital ward for two weeks before being released.”
Marcellus Wiley’s Response
Soon after the lawsuit was filed in court, Marcellus Wiley addressed the topic on his YouTube channel. While he admitted to spending the night in the plaintiff’s dorm room, the former Buffalo Bills player denied the allegations of rape and assault. On his channel, he claimed that he was invited to her room and that she had to sign him in and out on his arrival and departure. Additionally, he insisted that although they “did mess around,” they “did not engage in intercourse.” No further information has been provided yet about the case.
Yesterday, Diddy was hit with a third lawsuit for alleged assault. It follows Cassie’s lawsuit, which she filed against the Bad Boy Records founder earlier this month. He and Cassie reached a settlement shortly after the long list of allegations came out, but he continues to maintain his innocence.
This latest lawsuit comes from former Syracuse University student Joi Dickerson-Neal, who accuses Diddy of raping her in the 90s. According to her, he allegedly drugged her after she left her drink unattended on a table during a date. She claims to have “reluctantly” agreed to the date in the first place, as she says she had heard of his alleged “mistreatment of women.” Dickerson-Neal further accuses him of revenge porn, alleging that he filmed her assault and shared the video with others. A spokesperson for Diddy has now responded to the suit, denying the allegations. They claim that the performer is simply being “targeted,” accusing the alleged victim of “exploiting” the Adult Survivors Act.
“These are civil suits with fabricated claims of misconduct from 30 years ago, which are nothing but a blatant money grab,” they told TMZ. “Mr. Combs is being unfairly targeted by anonymous accusers who lie for financial gain. The New York Legislature never intended the Adult Survivors Act to be exploited.” There’s been an influx in sexual assault lawsuits against various figures in recent days, which is believed to be because the deadline for New York’s Adult Survivors Act was yesterday.
“Our client has not been able to escape the continuing impact of the harm Combs caused her many years ago. Through the Adult Survivors Act, she can avail herself to the courts to finally seek justice,” Dickerson-Neal’s lawyer Jonathan Goldhirsh says. What do you think of Diddy’s response to this latest lawsuit? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Cuba Gooding Jr has been sued by two women who allege that the actor sexually assaulted him in New York bars. Jasmine Abbay accused Gooding Jr of “forcibly kissing her without consent” when she was working as a cocktail waitress in midtown Manhattan in September 2018. Meanwhile, Kelsey Herbert claimed Gooding Jr “groped her breast” at a different Midtown bar in June 2019. “Our clients were deprived of the justice they sought in the criminal case. They are now seeking justice and accountability in their civil cases”, said the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Gloria Allred. Allred has risen to prominence in recent years, representing clients in cases against Bill Cosby and Donald Trump.
The two women are seeking unspecified damages under the Adult Survivors Act. The act is a state law that lets women sue their alleged abusers beyond the initial statute of limitations for the crimes in question. However, the law is set to expire tomorrow. Other high-profile cases under this law include the recent suits against Axl Rose, Russell Brand, and Diddy. Gooding Jr previously pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge in Abbay’s case. However, the charge was later downgraded from “forcible touching” to simple harassment. Furthermore, in June of this year, Gooding Jr settled a lawsuit brought forward by an alleged 2013 rape victim.
However, Gooding Jr isn’t the only public figure in legal trouble this week. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor. The allegations first emerged on social media, with users appearing to post evidence of Giddey interacting with a reportedly then-17-year-old Olivia Cook. One of the widely-cited pieces of alleged evidence was a Snapchat post showing Giddey and Cook in a post-coital state of undress with the in-picture text caption “Just f-cked Josh Giddey”. Furthermore, social media users later uncovered more posts that appeared to corroborate the story. Additionally, they found Cooks’ alleged TikTok account, which appeared to confirm that she was not 18.
However, the allegations are largely unverified and stem primarily from second-hand reporting of social media posts. Neither Giddey nor Cook have released a statement at this time. Giddey, a first-round pick in 2021 and widely considered the future of Australian basketball, played against the Bulls in a game on Wednesday night. He had 10 points and 6 rebounds in the Thunder win. This is a developing story and we will have any updates as and when they emerge.
