Paula Abdul is not going to let Nigel Lythgoe discredit her so easily.
Earlier this week, Lythgoe – an American Idol producer – responded to Abdul’s sexual assault lawsuit filed in December 2023, calling the claims “pure fiction” and accusing Abdul of sensationalising her stories for “attention.”
He also presented text messages between him and Abdul over the years, with the latter referring to her alleged abuser as “sweetheart” and thanking him for the many gifts he would send her.
But on Wednesday, Abdul’s lawyer Melissa Eubanks fired back, calling out Lythgoe for displaying “classic victim shaming” in a statement shared with People Magazine.
“Mr. Lythgoe fails to appreciate that he held a position of power over Ms. Abdul. He was a producer on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance and she was the talent,” Eubanks pointed out.
She noted that because of this position of power, “It is no surprise that Ms. Abdul placated to his ego with positive messaging and seeming adoration,” hence the seemingly sweet texts.
The lawyer continued, “These are the defenses that many women like Ms. Abdul had to adopt to deal with men who abuse their power.”
Since Abdul’s December 2023 lawsuit, three more women have come forward with similar experiences against Lythgoe.
