A reputation management expert has weighed in on Lizzo’s response to the ongoing lawsuit regarding her workplace conduct.
Last week, it was reported that the “Juice” singer, 35, was being sued by former members of her dance troupe for sexual harassment and weight-shaming.
On Thursday (3 July), Lizzo, real name Melissa Jefferson, responded to the 44-page lawsuit on social media, telling fans that “there is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world”.
The singer-songwriter described the allegations as being “as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed”. You can find a full breakdown of the allegations here.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Eric Schiffer, the chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, said: “When you have a celebrity brand that is known for one thing – Lizzo being known for body positivity and for being proud of her authentic self – and then allegations come out which are the opposite of how your brand is positioned, it can create a level of cognitive dissonance among the audience.
“We saw this with Ellen DeGeneres when she was perceived to be the Queen of Nice, and yet stories continued to leak about how she treated people that worked for her and that goes to credibility.
“What occurs in these situations is there’s a credibility challenge and fans and audiences begin to wonder and question what’s real.”
DeGeneres is best known for hosting the US talk show Ellen. In 2020, allegations emerged of a “toxic” behind-the-scenes environment on her series, which subsequently ended.
The Hollywood Reporter also quotes writer and Bad Feminist essayists Roxane Gay, who claimed that Lizzo “should’ve had a better response”.
“I think that she should’ve had a better response, and she knows better,” she said. “There was just no taking of responsibility, no direct engagement with the accusations and no apology.
“I think we all know how the court system works, so I doubt she could offer the statement that people would’ve liked to have seen from her, legally speaking, if she doesn’t want to just settle – which she can just, honestly, apologise, settle and move on. But we’ll see what happens.
Lizzo performs onstage at the Brits— (Getty Images)
“Everyone is always talking about due process, but when it comes to a Black woman who people feel has gone beyond what they assume is possible for her, all of a sudden, due process no longer matters,” she added.
“It’s disappointing if true, and I tend to always err on the side of believing people when they say they’ve been harmed. But I also think that we should perhaps consider that the story may be a little more complicated than the media is portraying it as right now.”
The allegations against Lizzo were made by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, former members of Lizzo’s Big Grrrls dance troupe.
In the lawsuit, it’s claimed that Lizzo pressured one of the dancers into touching a naked performer at a strip club in Amsterdam, and called attention to another’s weight gain before terminating her contract after a health condition prompted her to record a meeting.
Lizzo performing at Glastonbury— (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
On Thursday Lizzo addressed the allegations on social media. “These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” she said.
“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 continued: “I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not. 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 criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
You can read the full response here.
Speaking to Channel 4, Lizzo’s accusers responded to her statement, describing her reaction as “disheartening”.
“Initially for me, it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated,” Williams said. “I think the overall theme in all this is that our experiences were our experiences and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely. It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that’s not the case.
“So yes, it was very disheartening to read and feel overlooked especially when she stands for what she stands for in regards to women’s empowerment – being an advocate for mental health, being an advocate for body positivity – and to just further prove that that’s not the case, because nothing was acknowledged in that statement.”
The Independent has contacted a representative of Lizzo for comment.
