There were so many people shocked by the Lizzo news this week. Three of Lizzo’s former dancers sued her in California for sexual harassment, hostile work environment and more. In the lawsuit, they detailed all of her ridiculous, abusive and toxic behavior during her tours and they also cited her dance coordinator as an aggressive proselytizer. In addition to the lawsuit, documentary filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison added her voice to the accusations against Lizzo. Allison came on tour with Lizzo in an attempt to make a documentary about her and the tour. Allison left after two weeks because of the extremely toxic and hostile work environment Lizzo created. Allison has made two posts about Lizzo, and she points out that after she let the documentary, Lizzo got a “cis white man” who didn’t show Lizzo as the “narcissistic bully” she apparently is.
Documentary filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, an Oscar nominee for her 2019 documentary short, A Love for Latasha, alleged on social media today that she was “treated with such disrespect” by Lizzo that it caused her to walk away from the project.
Allison claimed that she left the documentary project after two weeks of shadowing the singer because of “arrogant, self-centered, and unkind” behavior from Lizzo. Allison added she was “thrown into a sh*tty situation with little support.”
“I usually do not comment on anything pop culture related,” Allison wrote on Instagram and Twitter. “But, in 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how arrogant, unkind, and cruel she is. I was not protected and thrown into a sh*tty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f*cking can, and I’m grateful I trusted my gut. I felt gaslit and deeply hurt, but I’ve healed.
“Reading these reports make me realize how dangerous of a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”
A documentary titled Love, Lizzo was released on HBO Max in November 2022. It was directed by Doug Pray, whose other projects include 2009 film Art & Copy and 2008 film Surfwise. Allison also said on social media that she has heard from others who went through similar experiences with Lizzo. She said the star “creates an extremely toxic and hostile working environment and undermines the work, labor, and authority of other black and brown womxn in the process. Notice how the film ended up being directed by a cis white man,” Allison wrote, before further calling Lizzo “a narcissistic bully and has built her brand off lies… I was excited to support and protect a Black woman through the documentary process, but quickly learned her image and ‘message’ was a curated facade.”
Sometimes, all it takes is one person stepping up or filing a lawsuit for the dam to break. I think that’s what happened here – so many people wanted to believe in Lizzo’s message, her aura of positivity, and when the reality of Lizzo’s actual personality chipped away at the fantasy, no one wanted to be the first one to break Lizzo’s facade/public persona. But yeah, Lizzo sounds like a monstrous boss and a terrible person.
Update: Lizzo has made a statement on her social media. This… does not seem like her lawyers really vetted it. It’s not just the dancers suing her either – Sophia Nahli Allison is calling her out, and apparently there are many more people with similar stories.
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) August 3, 2023
Sharing this because validating other Black women's experiences is deeply important to me. pic.twitter.com/gd2xEK6szq
— Sophia Nahli Allison (@SophiaNAllison) August 1, 2023
to be clear… pic.twitter.com/JU2ZuDoZ9b
— Sophia Nahli Allison (@SophiaNAllison) August 2, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Lizzo at the 40th Brit Awards Red Carpet arrivals, The O2 Arena, London on February 18th 2020,Image: 563908404, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Keith Mayhew / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JUNE 26: American singer Lizzo wearing a custom Gucci feathered gown arrives at the BET Awards 2022 held at Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 703204986, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lizzo, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, USA – AUGUST 28: Lizzo wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier Couture dress arrives at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey, United States.,Image: 717366600, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lizzo, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- Lizzo (Melissa Vivianne Jefferson) is an American American singer, rapper and songwriter. The hip hop and R&B songstress is makes her return to the UK for her Cuz I Love You Too tour. In ’14, Time named her one of fourteen music artists to watch.,Image: 755424271, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: EDITORIAL USE ONLY, strictly no posters or merchandise. Not be used in any publication devoted exclusively or predominantly to the said artist unless prior permission has been obtained from their management., Model Release: no, Credit line: Dafydd Owen / Avalon
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- Lizzo attends the 2023 Costume Institute Benefit (Met Gala) celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City.,Image: 773487843, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lizzo, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- lizzo Performing on Piramid Stage Glastonbury 2023,Image: 785683538, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: cpuk / Avalon
Of course the abuser is always the one that is hurt when claims are made against them and that’s what Lizzo is doing. It does seem like there will be more stuff coming to light. I’m going to stand with the women who have told their truths of how they were treated and abused.
I don’t know what to make of this statement. She doesn’t outright deny some of the accusations.
I had the same thought. She doesn’t deny much of anything. It reeks of “I’m sorry if you were offended” kind of gaslighting to me.
All while issuing a statement of deniability and “some memories may vary…..”
Take responsibility Lizzo!! You want to live on this theory of inclusivity and openness then do it!!!
Likely because she doesn’t think she did anything wrong- so nothing to deny.
According to the basic rules of statement analysis, this statement does not say what she thinks it says. There is no clear denial. It’s a word salad being using to cover for the lack of clear denial. She is making things worse for herself.
My hope is that the women abused will recover and they will not just survive this but thrive. Lizzo needs deep and serious therapy. She should be ashamed of her actions and how she has treated so many. What a disgrace.
This whole situation is so tragic. Was Lizzo always like this or does power corrupt?
Power doesn’t corrupt, it reveals.
Excellent point
100% @BlueNailsBetty
Love this line. Spot on @BlueNailsBetty
Once I heard a great comment about how it isn’t adversity that reveals a person’s true character. It is power. Give someone power over other people and see what they do with it. That will tell you everything you need to know.
She sounds like such a horrible, toxic person. How did she hide it for so long?!?!?
Right @ Becks1??? Lizzo has been out in the public for years and we are just now hearing about it??
These poor women. As I watched one woman being interviewed, she was physically showing signs of abuse, fear and retaliation. I was gutted as I watched her interview along with this latest news. The accusations against Lizzo are strong and I am so relieved that a documentary film maker publicly supported Lizzo’s victims.
I do hope that they these victims are successful in bringing Lizzo to account. There are still very hostile work environments that women of all demographics suffer, still to this day!
People wanted to believe the narrative she told of this person who broke the pop star mold in both physical appearance and genuine musical talent succeeding in a world not open to women like her. Talent and a brassy demeanor only takes you so far if you treat people like garbage on your way to the top.
I think this is it. She was able to hide it because people WANTED to buy into her persona.
These accusations may be true and if they are then bring on the consequences but a couple of days into this it feels as though Lizzo is being harshly judged and sentenced in the media without a fair hearing. It’s a sign of the times and a frightening one. If the claims are true then goodbye and good riddance but first she deserves a defense before social media burns down her career which it seems scary eager to do.
Oh honey.
We don’t need to burn down her career. Her statement is taking care of that quite nicely.
+1 The statement is f*cking terrible. And are we calling Sophia Nahli Allison a liar now?
Exactly.
I need more information before I light a match.
THIS
Agreed.
Really disappointing, in all honesty. I’m glad they came forward and outed her, but it’s a shame for everybody dragged into it and who might be going forward.
Sweeping generalisation here, but with one exception, the majority of flautists with whom I’ve had to interact have been narcissistic a-holes. As an instrument, it seems to attract a specific personality…
I feel sorry for the dancers and what they’ve had to deal with. It’s great that others are coming forward on the record with their similar experiences.
Lizzo has undeniably been a force for good in promoting body positivity and HAAS, but that doesn’t give her carte blanche to bully and harass her employees…
I second this.
I think… There was no reason for not believing it? We can’t go through life thinking everybody is esentially evil, no matter if they don’t look it. She did send her fans after that postmate delivery girl, and publicly harassed Chris Evans. But … Don’t most of us do stupid things? Now, should we believe everything’s rosy around TSwift tour bc she gave an extra check to her staff? Should we be worried about work environment around Doja Cat? She’s done all sort if erratic stuff; like reaching out to an underage kid who’d never met her and ask him to set her up with his adult costar.Yes, no until someone speaks up.
She doesn’t deny her terrible behavior but mask it as perfectionism and having high standards. Expecting people to work hard is not the problem, the issue is when you are devaluing them, disrespecting them and gaslighting them when they express their concerns. Being rude, toxic is not having high standards, is just being a narcissist and an asshole. Being open with your sexuality doesn’t mean that you have the right to step on other’s boundaries specially if they already expressed them. Ughhh … this reminds me of what another celebrity said about her… “ don’t believe her bs” . Anyhow, her statement is sh!t. saying the above, if all is true, I am sure it will come to light as bad behavior is a pattern and someone will have receipts.
Who was the other celebrity that said, don’t believe Lizzo’s BS?
Perhaps not real celebrities … it was Khia and Azalea Banks and some other reality show person. But since they are toxic and crazy no one paid attention. Plus I don’t think they had any dealings with Lizzo. Anyhow, I am hoping is not true because I really like her message of self acceptance. The accusations are really horrible but also criminal ( sexual harassment) and now this filmmaker is backing their stories. But I believe bad behavior is a pattern so if true more will come to light. Regardless, the statement is not good, if I was her , I would have let me legal team handle it.
I want to know where forcing someone to be in an environment where bananas are being shot out of vaginas is considered a strong work ethic.
OMG I so did not want to believe this. so awful
I’m not ready to cancel Lizzo. She has been under a crazy amount of pressure and maybe is her worst self now. people forgave gaga, and wasn’t she forcing her assistants to flush the toilet for her or some crazy shit? also…I think many more famous people than we think are assholes. I think power DOES corrupt. don’t think that someone is a good person because they are talented. And Lizzo is incredibly talented.
I so want all this to play out judicially without cancelling Lizzo without due process.
Some of the details of antics Lizzie pulled with her dancers in strip clubs are HORRIFYING. No excuses for such gross depravity, burn her career down. Y’all, Beyonce knew~she waited to disown her when it went public. As controlling as B is, she KNEW.
Disappointed to see “I’m going to wait and see” comments on this situation. I feel like a lot of people are willing to give victims the benefit of the doubt unless it’s someone they like. If multiple people are calling someone out, there’s usually something there.