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\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Paula Abdul<\/strong><\/a> is speaking out via her legal team after the latest development in her lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n The \u201cStraight Up\u201d pop star and American Idol<\/em> judge sued the TV producer<\/a> in December 2023, accusing him of sexual assault and harassment. <\/p>\n At the time, he denied the claims<\/a> in a statement. However, multiple other lawsuits have accused him of similar things<\/a>. In early January, Nigel<\/strong> gave up his spot on the judging panel<\/a> for So You Think You Can Dance<\/em>. <\/p>\n On Tuesday (March 5), Nigel<\/strong> asked the courts to dismiss Paula<\/strong>\u2018s lawsuit. Court documents describe him as a \u201cvictim of Abdul<\/strong>\u2019s appalling lies\u201d and provided alleged text exchanges. It also alleged that the accusations had a \u201clife-changing impact\u201d on Nigel<\/strong>\u2018s life. <\/p>\n Paula<\/strong> responded via her legal team. <\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In a statement issued on Wednesday, Paula<\/strong>\u2018s legal team accuses Nigel<\/strong> of \u201cclassic victim shaming\u201d (via Deadline<\/a>).<\/p>\n The statement also alleges that she has her own receipts that display examples of harassment. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile Mr. Lythgoe<\/strong>\u2019s answer cherry-picks from years of messages with Ms. Abdul<\/strong> to try to discredit her claims, what his selections fail to show are the numerous instances of overt sexual harassment he forced Ms. Abdul<\/strong> to tolerate,\u201d the statement reads. <\/p>\n It continues with multiple examples: \u201cOn March 8, 2014, Mr. Lythgoe<\/strong> wrote to Ms. Abdul<\/strong>: \u2018When you get back to LA will you please make love to me! Slowly and lovingly!\u2019 When Ms. Abdul<\/strong> failed to respond, Mr. Lythgoe<\/strong> proclaimed: \u2018I\u2019ll take that as a YES then!\u2019 On April 10, 2014, he similarly wrote, in response to a message from Ms. Abdul<\/strong> about SYTYCD <\/em>auditions in Las Vegas: \u2018I\u2019ll come if you promise a big wet kiss! With tongues! Is a small grope of the ass asking too much?\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cIn July 2014, Mr. Lythgoe<\/strong> even acknowledged the inappropriateness of his behavior to Ms. Abdul<\/strong>: \u2018you love me like a relation I love you like a girlfriend. I could easily be your f-cking cousin? Ha Ha\u2019. There are several instances of such verbal assaults against Ms. Abdul<\/strong>, which are evidence of the frequent abusive behavior that Ms. Abdul<\/strong> was subjected to during her time on American Idol<\/em> and SYTYCD<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time of Paula<\/strong>\u2018s lawsuit, one of Nigel<\/strong>\u2018s old interviews went viral<\/a>. In it, he joked about wanting to be \u201cthe next person to abuse her.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n