Lizzo‘s ongoing lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers has led to old comments of hers resurfacing and causing quite the stir online.
Earlier this week, a trio of dancers who worked on Lizzo’s Special Tour sued the singer over allegations of sexual harassment, fat-shaming and creating a hostile working environment. Lizzo returned fire on Thursday morning (August 3), denying the accusations against her and saying her ex-dancers are “sensationalized” and have “hurt” her.
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However, eagle-eyed fans were quick to note comments Lizzo made while speaking to DJ Frank van der Lende on his 3FM radio show back in 2019. In a clip from the interview, Lizzo expresses interest in visiting Amsterdam’s Red Light District and going to Bananenbar, where bananas are eaten out of women’s orifices.
Fans recalled that Arianna Davis, one of the plaintiffs in the suit against Lizzo, said the “About Damn Time” singer was forced to touch the nude breasts of one of the women working at the club.
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“I’m trying to go to the show where you eat the banana out the pussy,” Lizzo is seen saying. “Which one is that? That’s the Bananaenbar? And they have the banana in the coochie?…That’s what I wanna do. I need my potassium if you know what I mean.”
The suit, obtained by Variety, details Davis’ harrowing experience in the club, in which she claimed Lizzo allegedly pressured her to engage with the dancers.
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“The main event of the night was Bananaenbar, where patrons are allowed to interact with completely nude performers,” the suit reads. “Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the vaginas of the performers.”
The suit continues, “Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women performing in the club. Lizzo began leading a chant goading Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis said three times, loud enough for all to hear, ‘I’m good,’ expressing her desire not to touch the performer.”
Lizzo is reportedly being represented by powerful Hollywood lawyer Marty Singer in the case, who has repped high-profile figures like Chris Brown and Bill Cosby, among others, in the past. The former dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez – became Lizzo’s dancers after competing on her Watch Out for the Big Grrrls Amazon Prime series and claim they were fired this past spring.
“Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound too outrageous to not be addressed,” Lizzo wrote in her statement on Instagram. “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.
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“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. 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.”
She continued: “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.”
