The Super Bowl halftime show act has a lot to live up to after Rihanna rocked the world in February 2023 and did so while pregnant.
Even though our brains are still on fire from Rihanna’s awesome Super Bowl halftime performance, many still want to know about next year’s performer.
Whomever that person might be, it certainly will not be Lizzo.
The DailyMail is reporting that the singer has been dropped from Super Bowl Halftime Show consideration after sexual harassment and abuse claims.
“An NFL insider exclusively tells DailyMail.com that the ensuing backlash over the allegations has prompted the organization to immediately drop Lizzo from Super Bowl Halftime Show contention – having previously had her name in the mix as one of the front-runners for the 2024 spectacle.
‘Talks of Lizzo being a part of the Halftime festivities, or performing the National Anthem, are dead now that she is surrounded by scandal,’ the source said in the wake of the accusations – which Lizzo vehemently denies.”
Lizzo has been sued by three former dancers who claim they were subjected to a hostile work environment and harassment while they were employed as her dancers.
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Ron Zambrano, the plaintiffs’ attorney, said, “We have received at least six inquiries from other people with similar stories since we filed the complaint.”
“Noelle, Crystal, and Arianna have bravely spoken out and shared their experiences, opening the door for others to feel empowered to do the same. Some of the claims we are reviewing involve allegations of a sexually charged environment and failure to pay employees and may be actionable, but it is too soon to say,” Zambrano said.
One of the three plaintiffs said she was encouraged by the singer to “take turns touching the nude performers” while another girl says Lizzo expressed “thinly veiled” concerns about the plaintiff’s “weight gain,” according to the lawsuit, resulting in the plaintiff feeling pressured to “explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details about her life in order to keep her job.”
The plaintiffs also claim they were subjected to racial and religious discrimination.
Lizzo took to Instagram to say she was “hurt” by the allegations.
“These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing,” her statement read. “My work ethic, morals, and respectfulness have been questioned. Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
“These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo wrote in her response.
“As an artist, I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because, at the end of the day, I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard, work and high standards.”
“Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable, or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team,” she wrote, adding she is “not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people in the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”
“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis, and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” Lizzo continued. “I am hurt, but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out and support to lift me up during this difficult time.”
They may just be allegations, but they may have cost her big time.
