Lizzo’s attorneys have requested that the discrimination lawsuit against the superstar be tossed. The lawsuit was filed by a wardrobe assistant over alleged discrimination and wrongful termination during Lizzo’s 2023 European tour. The star’s legal reps are calling the lawsuit “meritless,” and asking that all remaining allegations be dismissed before a trial.
Rolling Stone reports that a new filing paints plaintiff Asha Daniels as a lying “disgruntled former employee with an inflated ego” who harbors “personal vendettas” against Lizzo, her tour manager Carlina Gugliotta, and wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura. The lawyers claim Daniels filed suit because she was upset that her job did not “grant her direct access to Lizzo.
“Once [Daniels] joined the tour, it was immediately evident that she felt the role was beneath her,” the 34-page filing reads. “To add insult to injury, Daniels got no closer to Lizzo than occasionally smiling at her in passing.”
The new motion filed in Los Angeles federal court also states that Daniels has failed to produce any witnesses to corroborate her claims of a hostile work environment. After Daniels complained about Nomura during Daniels’ first days on the job, Gugliotta investigated Daniels’ complaints and said she found nothing amiss. Gugliotta reportedly then instructed Daniels and Nomura to get along. The filing also disputes Daniels’ claims that she faced disability discrimination and never received accommodations for an ankle injury, an allergic reaction, and two broken acrylic nails that caused her nail beds to bleed.
“She could not reasonably believe that a rolled ankle, broken acrylic nails or feeling ‘woozy’ are disabilities under the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act],” the new filing reads. The attorneys go on to say Daniels “may not have liked the way Nomura allegedly behaved,” but “none of the complained-of conduct that allegedly offended Daniels is actionable discrimination or retaliation under federal law.”
Daniels’ lead lawyer, Ronald Zambrano, issued a response.
“We fully expected the defense to file a motion to dismiss. We also fully expect the judge to deny the motion, and we look forward to taking this case to trial and winning,” Zambrano said in a statement. “The motion is meritless, and the defense knows it, but their modus operandi is to treat all lawsuits as having no grounds to proceed by repeatedly blaming the victim. It won’t work.”
Last year, the court removed Lizzo as an individual defendant in the case, apart from her touring company, Big Grrrl. Now Lizzo’s lawyers are asking the judge to rule that her company has no liability based on the stated claims and evidence so far.
