Lizzo Lawsuit: 'About Damn Time' To Break Down The Allegations
'Truth Hurts'? Or Is She Still 'Good As Hell'?
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Either way, have a great weekend! And if we’re not at work at the Mo News offices on Monday you’ll know why 😉
Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney
🎙The Mo News Podcast: Doctors chime in on gender-affirming care for kids; the headlines from the Trump criminal arraignment, the latest European travel boom; and what we’re watching, reading, and eating this weekend.
🗞 WHAT IS GOING ON WITH LIZZO?
Singer Lizzo spoke out Thursday after sexual harassment and discrimination claims– including weight shaming– were leveled at her from three of her former dancers.
Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, pushed back on the allegations in an Instagram post, saying that she is “not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people in the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.
She added: “There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis, and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
LET’S REWIND A BIT
Earlier this week, three dancers who previously performed with Lizzo— Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez— filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against the singer, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, and dance captain, Shirlene Quigley.
Two of the three dancers involved in the lawsuit were reportedly dismissed from Lizzo's operation. A third resigned.
THE ALLEGATIONS
The dancers claim that they were “exposed to an overtly sexual atmosphere that permeated their workplace.” Some of the specific claims:
Lizzo pressured one of the dancers to touch a nude performer at a strip club in Amsterdam.
She also allegedly subjected them to an “excruciating” audition after falsely accusing them of drinking on the job.
Lizzo and her team allegedly “put the dancers through grueling rehearsals that led to one dancer soiling herself.”
One of the dancers also says she faced “thinly-veiled” weight-shaming.
Quigley allegedly pressured the dancers on religious matters.
RESPONSE TO LIZZO’S STATEMENT
The dancers’ attorney says “the dismissive comments and utter lack of empathy are quite telling about her character and only serve to minimize the trauma she has caused the plaintiffs and other employees who have now come forward sharing their own negative experiences.”
MORE ACCUSATIONS
This is somewhat of a she said / she said, except that since the lawsuit was filed, some other people who’ve worked with Lizzo have come forward to say this all jives with what they’ve experienced as well.
One filmmaker, Sophia Nahli Allison, who was set to make a documentary about Lizzo back in 2019, said she walked away from the project after two weeks. Allison wrote on social media: “I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how arrogant, unkind, and cruel she is….. My spirit said to run as fast as you f***ing can, and I’m grateful I trusted my gut. I felt gaslit and deeply hurt, but I’ve healed.”
One of Lizzo’s other former dancers, Courtney Hollinquest, wrote on her Instagram story that even though she’s not a part of the lawsuit, the claims echoed her personal experiences working with the singer.
Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Wilson posted to her own Instagram stories– “I haven’t been a part of that world for around three years, for a reason. … I grieve parts of my own experience.❝
Even most “advanced recycling” projects, which try to handle hard-to-recycle plastics like plastic bags or takeout containers, have failed.
SO, WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THIS PLASTIC?
The US used to send a lot of it to China. But in 2018, China banned these imports because its recyclers were too overwhelmed.
As John Oliver explains in the clip above, the US is among countries that now ship plastic waste to places like Malaysia and Indonesia, where there are now areas with trash as far as the eye can see.
Keep in mind: As this plastic waste breaks down, it enters water systems as microplastics, and has major health effects on animals and humans and our food.
NEW LEGISLATION
The reality is that the US and developed countries have to figure out what to do with their own trash and continue the transition away from plastic.
A number of countries around the world have banned single-use plastics. Several US states and cities have also passed laws.
More states are also trying to impose “polluter-pays” laws.
Instead of taxpayers paying for waste collection, they make companies that make and use plastic carry the cost. Maine was the first U.S. state to pass such legislation.
California’s Attorney General recently opened an investigation into fossil fuel and petrochemicals companies, accusing them of perpetuating a decades-long disinformation campaign.
✔︎ Mo News Reality Check: Part of the problem for Lizzo right now is that her whole public persona has been built around self love and body positivity. So for many, this feels a bit hypocritical.
It reminds us of when Ellen DeGeneres, whose on air persona was all about kindness, was accused of “creating a culture of fear” in the workplace. Same with James Corden. They’re selling something to the public that stands in stark contrast to what they’re doing in private.
When it comes to Lizzo, it’s something that was noted by the plaintiffs’ attorney: “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly.”
Of course, we’ll await more details as they work towards a resolution.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨 NATION
📌 Trump pleads not guilty on 2020 election interference charges after his third indictment in five months. (POLITICO)
📌 NYC considers Central Park among sites to house migrants as crisis mounts. (BLOOMBERG)
📌 Birth control pills voluntarily recalled as FDA warns they may have 'reduced effectiveness' (ABC)
📌 Pediatrician group reaffirms support for gender-affirming care but also calls for a review of the data (AP NEWS)
📌 NASA uses Colorado mountains for moon landing training (AXIOS)🌎
AROUND THE WORLD
📌 U.S. Embassy in Niger partially evacuated after military takeover. Here’s everything you need to know (NEW YORK TIMES)
📌 Poland rushes troops to border, Belarus denies helicopter violation (REUTERS)
📌 White House says top Russian official pitched North Korea on increasing sale of munitions to Moscow for its war in Ukraine (AP)
📌 Newly found video shows moments U.S. troops saved thousands of Jews from Nazi train (TIMES OF ISRAEL)
💵 BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY
📌 Everything you should look out for in today’s jobs report (CNBC)
📌 Americans are going abroad in droves — at the expense of domestic travel (CNBC)
📌 Apple is set to roll out new iPhone 15 on Sep 13 (9to5MAC)
📌 Google can now alert you when your private contact info appears online (THE VERGE)
🎥 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson buys house for previously homeless UFC fighter after his first win (CBS SPORTS)
📌 Former Women’s US soccer star Carli Lloyd criticizes team’s behavior after latest World Cup tie (NBC)
📌 How the strikes could impact lavish Hollywood Exec pay (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
📌 Your résumé isn’t the only thing popular job sites evaluate (WASHINGTON POST)
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🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND
📺 WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: Jill: RHONY on Bravo; Mosheh: Selling Sunset marathon on Netflix
📚 WHAT WE’RE READING: Jill: The Swedes know the secret to happiness: You are not your stuff in The Washington Post; Mosheh:
Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack by Rebecca Skloot
🌭WHAT WE’RE EATING: Jill: Uncle Jon’s BBQ Sauce; Mosheh: Banana Pancake Dippers
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