By Emily Richardson | Celebrity | August 9, 2023
More bad news for Lizzo. The lawyer representing the three dancers accusing the singer of sexual harassment tells NBC News that his firm is reviewing complaints from “at least” six other former employees. Employment law attorney Ron Zambrano says the new accusations come from people who toured with Lizzo, as well as some who worked with her on the Emmy-winning reality show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.
Ron Zambrano (that’s a great name, and I’ll always write it in full) says several of the complaints allege Lizzo created a “sexually charged environment,” while others accuse her of simply not paying them. Oh, and more weight-shaming. Ron Zambrano claims Lizzo once called out a dancer’s weight at South by Southwest during a post-show meeting. She allegedly told the employee that it was “normal” for the dancers to “get fired when they get fat.” Which is pretty damn rich considering the whole point of Watch Out for the Big Grrrls was to celebrate plus-sized dancers.
Ron Zambrano says that the lawyers at his firm are still reviewing the complaints, and it’s “too soon to say” if the claims are actionable. Translation for people like me who know very little about the law, save for what The Good Wife taught them: Ron Zambrano is still figuring out if these new allegations are lawsuitable.
Yesterday, organizers announced that Jay-Z’s Made In America Festival had been canceled less than a month before it was to take place in Philly. The would-be headliners? SZA and Lizzo. The festival’s cancellation wasn’t officially linked to the singer’s legal mess; the official statement said it was due to “severe circumstances outside of production control.”
With the cancellation of Made In America and more accusations flooding in, the future of Lizzo’s career is looking more and more dire. Perhaps it’s time to bust out an actual apology? I know, I know, Lizzo, your lawyer has probably advised you not to. But maybe we don’t listen to the scumbag who’s represented creeps like Bill Cosby, Chris Brown, and Johnny Depp? Just a thought…