Nigel Lythgoe is hitting back at allegations that his alleged “groping” of two contestants on his former reality show All American Girl was part of an elaborate cover-up behind the scenes, Radar reports.
In documents obtained by Radar, the embattled television veteran Nigel Lythgoe claimed the women failed to prove their accusation, providing several reasons why.
Nigel Lythgoe was sued by two contestants from ‘All American Girl’ in January.
The women filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe using “Jane Doe” pseudonyms in January. They accused Lythgoe of showing up on the short-lived 2003 competition show’s set and dressing rooms and “openly swatted and groped” their butts.
The contestants claimed employees of the show “witnessed” his alleged “groping and swatting” but Lythgoe is fighting back, claiming the women provided zero evidence to back up their cover-up accusations.
“They argue simply that N.L.’s alleged ‘prior groping and swatting,’ combined with the alleged fact that N.L.’s and Roe Production’s alleged employees or agents ‘witnessed’ it, ‘evidence[s] a ‘cover up,'” the documents filed on Wednesday read. “That does not come close to meeting the statutory definition of ‘cover up,’ namely, ‘a concerted effort to hide evidence relating to a sexual assault.'”
They claim he “openly swatted and groped” their butts before things allegedly escalated.
He pointed out that “the statute defines ‘cover up’ to mean ‘a concerted effort to hide evidence relating to a sexual assault that incentivizes individuals to remain silent or prevents information relating to a sexual assault from becoming public or being disclosed to the plaintiff, including, but not limited to, the use of nondisclosure agreements or confidentiality agreements.'”
Nigel Lythgoe said the women’s argument “appears to be that the single instance of ‘groping and swatting,” charging, “they do not allege any incident of sexual assault prior to the alleged on-set incident, so they have not plead a ‘cover up’ as it pertains to that alleged on-set incident.”
He also claimed that “no reasonable inference could be drawn that a concerted effort was made to ‘hide’ the alleged on-set incident, particularly in light of Plaintiffs’ allegation that it was ‘openly accepted.'”
They said his alleged behavior was “openly accepted.”
Lythgoe is demanding the “cover-up” allegation is tossed out in court as he continues to fight the lawsuit.
The contestants claimed Lythgoe’s alleged behavior escalated when he reportedly insisted that one of the girls ride with him to the studio to meet the rest of the cast after their wrap party.
The second plaintiff alleged she rode with them to protect her friend. Instead of taking them to the studio, Lythgoe’s accusers claim he took them to his home, where the television veteran made sexual advances on them, which allegedly included lifting one of the accuser’s sweaters that she was wearing and trying to kiss her — a move she said she rejected.
The second alleged victim said Lythgoe pushed her against his grand piano and forced his mouth and tongue down her throat despite her protest. They are suing Lythgoe and the production company for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence.
Lythgoe is also fighting two other sexual assault lawsuits.
Paula Abdul sued him in December, claiming he forced himself on her twice during her stints on ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’
Paula Abdul sued him in December, claiming he forced himself on her twice during her stints on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. A fourth accuser took legal action against Lythgoe in March, alleging he sexually abused her in 2018 at his Los Angeles home.
He has denied the accusations against him.