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Less than a week after Paula Abdul accused Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her twice in the past 20 years, the “So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator has been hit with another lawsuit from two other women. However, unlike the former American Idol judge's lawsuit, this latest blow against Lythgoe may not have much legal impact.
Jane Doe KG and Jane Doe KN have filed a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault, sexual harassment and negligence against John Roe NL over an alleged assault in May 2003. While not fully named, Deadline confirmed that John Roe NL is Lythgoe, who was a producer on the all-female competition show All American Girl (the “AAG” of Tuesday Suit) during its one-season run on ABC.
The incident in the self-proclaimed All American Girl “contestants' jury complaint occurred after the show's wrap party, when Lythgoe allegedly drove the duo to a house in LA instead of a promised studio to meet with others.
By the time the trio got there, the complaint said things had gotten ugly (read complaint here).
“The defendant NL made sexual advances towards the plaintiffs KG and KN. “Plaintiffs rejected the advances, but defendant NL persisted and continued to make advances,” says the Los Angeles Superior Court filing from attorneys at the L.A. law firm Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team. “At some point, defendant NL pulled his sweater over plaintiff KG’s head, wrapped her in his sweater, tried to kiss her and pressed her body close to his,” it continues. “The plaintiff KG refused the kiss again and tried to free herself from his grip.”
“Later that night, defendant NL pushed plaintiff KN against a wing in the house, pressed himself against her body and pushed his mouth and tongue toward her, despite her repeated requests not to do so, and tried to hold her face to pull away from his. adds the 14-page document. “When plaintiff KG saw this and protested, defendant NL finally capitulated.”
The lawsuit asserts a variety of claims for damages.
In the context of Abdul's detailed Dec. 29 lawsuit against Lythgoe over alleged assaults during the early seasons of Idol and in 2015, when the Grammy winner was on SYTYCD, the two Jane Does' similar claims seem to carry some weight.
Unless you have a calendar.
First, the complaint states that Jane Doe KG was “born in November 1997.” It is safe to assume that her date of birth placed her as kindergarten age at the time of the assault in question. This is a bug, but one that needs to be fixed.
More significantly, like Abdul's complaint, the Jane Does filed their case under California's Sexual Abuse Accountability and Cover-Up Act, which allows civil suits against claims that would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.
Or rather: allowed.
The Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act expired on December 31st. Since Abdul's filing, the truth of which Lythgoe vehemently denies, occurred on December 29, the “Straight Up” singer has legal action against Lythgoe and co-defendants American Idol Productions, Dance Nation Productions, 19 Entertainment and Fremantlemedia North America. However, Jane Doe KG and Jane Doe KN and their attorneys filed their lawsuit today – putting it outside the scope of the Accountability Act.
Lawyers at Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team did not respond to requests for clarification or comment on the complaint or timing. Lythgoe's representatives also did not respond to the latest allegations.
If any of these parties respond, this post will be updated.