KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION

Gee on Lizzo facing sexual harassment lawsuit: ‘I didn’t want to believe it’

Aug 3, 2023, 1:36 PM | Updated: 2:00 pm

A civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court claimed Lizzo pressured the dancers to engage with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam and shamed one of them for her weight gain before firing her.

KIRO Newsradio host Gee Scott stated his initial reaction was how quick people trust and believe celebrities in power after news broke that pop star Lizzo’s backup dancers are suing her for sexual harassment and weight shaming.

More from Gee Scott: ‘We need more police’ in Seattle’s Rainier Valley

“I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days,” Lizzo said in a statement posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “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.”

Lizzo, who routinely champions body positivity, is also accused of calling out Arianna Davis, one of her backup dancers who came forward with claims against Lizzo, for her weight gain after accusing the dancer of not being committed to her role. Davis was fired in May for recording a meeting during which Lizzo had given out notes to dancers about their performances, according to the complaint.

“As soon as I heard the Lizzo story, I said, ‘Oh, I don’t believe this’, and then I said, ‘Wait, why did I say, I don’t believe this,'” Gee said. “Because Lizzo has had this brand and has been fighting against people that are fat shaming, and she has this image of being ridiculed for her weight. I like Lizzo. I like her music. I have all these positive associations with her. But once I started looking into it, I believe those employees.”

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

KIRO Newsradio Opinion

data center (2)...

John Curley Show

‘We all benefit from their selfishness’: Curley defends billionaire-driven data centers, warns Cle Elum is making a mistake

Cle Elum passed an emergency six-month pause on data centers three days after a developer revealed plans for a 20-megawatt data center.

7 hours ago

Kshama Sawant...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘I don’t like Kshama Sawant’: Gee asks ‘are we done now?’ as Sawant finishes distant third

KIRO hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin were relieved to see Kshama Sawant, who served on the Seattle City Council, finish in third place.

10 hours ago

bite of seattle shooter spd...

Charlie Harger

Harger: The Bite of Seattle shooter is still out there. SPD won’t release a description. Here’s what may be slowing this investigation down

I'm frustrated. I don't have inside information. What I have is police reports, public statements, and the same questions you have.

16 hours ago

Katie Wilson (1)...

John Curley Show

‘We have gone backwards’: KIRO host warns Mayor Katie Wilson is losing trust with Seattle’s biggest players

KIRO fill-in host Angela Poe Russell warned on "The John Curley Show" that Katie Wilson is losing trust with the city's biggest players.

1 day ago

transgender athlete charged wrestling...

John Curley Show

Principal, athletic coordinator charged after waiting 53 days to report wrestler’s sexual assault allegation against transgender athlete

Two coaches with Rogers High School were charged after failing to comply with Washington's mandatory reporting law after a high school female wrestler alleged a biological male sexually assaulted her during a match.

2 days ago

primary ballot august...

Charlie Harger

Harger: My primary ballot is sitting on my microwave. If a politics nerd is cramming, the August primary isn’t working

We moved primaries from September to August in 2008 to give election officials more time to process mail-in ballots. That made logistical sense. For actually getting people to vote, it's a flop.

2 days ago

Gee on Lizzo facing sexual harassment lawsuit: ‘I didn’t want to believe it’