Lizzo‘s legal team has asked the court to seal a number of documents relating to ongoing sexual harassment lawsuits against the singer. In their motion, Lizzo’s team argues that “documents, correspondence and testimony that contain sensitive, confidential information and/or proprietary business information, including employee compensation, contract negotiation, and third-party sensitive contact information” should not be made public. The presiding judge is yet to rule on the motion.
This comes around a month after a number of the plaintiffs sought to challenge Lizzo’s usage of anti-SLAPP legislation. Anti-SLAPP legislation protects people against deliberately frivolous lawsuits designed to silence or oppress them. The term fully entered the public zeitgeist several years ago. It was popularized after a coal mining company attempted to serve Jon Oliver with a SLAPP suit. “Can a global celebrity be forever insulated from civil liability because all their conduct is protected as free speech under the anti-SLAPP statute? Defendant Lizzo asks this Court to rule in exactly that fashion. Fortunately for all victims of celebrity malfeasance, the law says otherwise,” the attorneys for three of the dancers suing Lizzo wrote in their motion.
Read More: Lizzo Claims Designer’s Harassment Lawsuit Is False & Obscene
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 25: Lizzo attends the World Premiere of “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on November 25, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/WireImage for Parkwood)
While the suits and countersuits surrounding Lizzo remain ongoing, the case has deeply divided the music industry. In early November, Azealia Banks came out with a surprising apology for the embattled singer. “I was having a conversation last night. And I realized that I owe @lizzobeeating a huge apology for popping so much sh-t. If hip hop will allow a 55+ severely overweight @bustarhymes who exhibits major of anabolic steroid abuse, adrenal gland failure, and constipation. And will also allow him to have a face full of blackheads and acne from what appears to be a testosterone shot abuse. And whilst drinking molly water in 2023 and wearing cartoon-like Neon yellow fake gold slick Rick chains. We have absolutely no right to be trying to skewered a YOUNG black woman – for anything,” Banks wrote.
Most people remember Banks’ infamous 2019 rant in which she said she hated Lizzo and her “fake a– body positivity”. However, this is not the first time that Banks has defended Lizzo. Last year, she went after Kanye after he took aim at Lizzo’s weight. “[Kanye] can’t be trying to lollipop off the 4 year old discussion about Lizzo’s health and weight. He has an entire McDonald’s commercial,” Banks said on social media.
Read More: Azealia Banks Calls Kanye West A “Fat Smelly Loser” Over His Nicki Minaj Rant
[via]
