Paula Abdul Rings in the New Year With Christina Aguilera After Filing Bombshell Lawsuit Against Nigel Lythgoe
Paula Abdul hit the town to ring in the new year in Las Vegas at Christina Aguilera's show.
Jan. 2 2024, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Paula Abdul hit the town to ring in the new year in Las Vegas at Christina Aguilera's show and appeared to be living her best life after filing an explosive lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe, accusing him of sexually assaulting her during her stints on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Abdul claimed he grabbed her breasts and genitals while trying to kiss her in an elevator.
Abdul, 61, looked like she was having a ball at the Genie in a Bottle singer's residency at The Venetian in Sin City on New Year's Eve, just days after going public with her bombshell accusations.
Concertgoers caught her dancing and singing along to Xtina's 2006 hit Ain't No Other Man. Some lucky fans even snapped a photo with a smiling Adbul.
The Straight Up singer seemed to put her legal matters aside to enjoy the end of 2023.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Abdul filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe, 19 Entertainment, and FremantleMedia North America for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, and negligence on Friday.
In the suit, she claimed Lythgoe first allegedly assaulted her during "one of Idol's initial seasons" while they were on the road for the audition process, claiming he shoved her against a wall in a hotel elevator, grabbed her breasts and genitals, and tried to tongue-kiss her.
Abdul said she pushed him away and ran out of the elevator and into her hotel room as soon as the doors opened.
Paula sued Nigel last year, claiming he sexually assaulted her twice during her 'American Idol' and 'So You Think You Can Dance' stints.
The entertainer said she called her rep from the hotel room and reported the alleged incident. Abdul claimed she didn't pursue her accusations because she feared retaliation.
Abdul claimed that Lythgoe allegedly assaulted her again in 2015 when she signed a new contract to be a judge on SYTYCD, which is also executive-produced by the now 74-year-old.
The Opposites Attract singer claimed that the television mogul invited her to his home, claiming they'd discuss work opportunities — and said the meeting was anything but professional.
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Abdul accused Lythgoe of "victim shaming" her, claiming he "cherry picked" emails of their private conversations to "discredit her claims."
In the documents, the Cold Hearted singer accused Lythgoe of forcing himself on her as she sat on his couch. She said he allegedly tried kissing her. Abdul also claimed Lythgoe told her they'd make an "excellent power couple" before she reportedly pushed him off of her and left his house.
Those weren't her only disturbing claims.
Abdul alleged Lythgoe called her after the alleged incidents and "taunted" her by saying they should celebrate because it had been "7 years and the statute of limitations had run."
As for Lythgoe, he denied her allegations.
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Paula Abdul sued the ex-'American Idol' producer for alleged sexual assault in December 2023.
“To say that I am shocked and saddened by the allegations made against me by Paula Abdul is a wild understatement. For more than two decades, Paula and I have interacted as dear – and entirely platonic – friends and colleagues. Yesterday, however, out of the blue, I learned of these claims in the press and I want to be clear: not only are they false, they are deeply offensive to me and to everything I stand for," his representative told RadarOnline.com.
"While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue. But I can promise that I will fight this appalling smear with everything I have.”
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