Lizzo’s recent rash of bad publicity has gone from bad to worse as several of her ex-backup dancers sued the performer for the hostile work environment. The singer has unequivocally denied all such claims but wasted no time in hiring one of the most popular industry lawyers. Though you may not recognize his name off the top of your head, you will definitely recognize his long list of famous clients who have utilized his services. Marty Singer has made a career out of celebrities who find themselves embroiled in scandals and have done so for years.
Even Singer’s more standard lawsuits surround high-profile actors, such as Charlie Sheen who was fired by Warner Bros. from Two and a Half Men. Sheen hired Singer for the suit which resulted in the production company settling for $100 million. But in more recent years, the lawyer has been on the controversial end of some famous cases. In the highly publicized accusations of sexual assault against X-Men director, Brett Ratner, Singer had become known for aggressive interactions with survivors. He was the reason Melanie Kohler took down her social media post regarding claims that Ratner assaulted her. Kohler’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, confirmed that Singer used harassment to intimidate her client.
“Attacking the victim today doesn’t work like it used to,” an anonymous entertainment lawyer told Los Angeles Times about Singer. “Everyone’s kind of on to this. You’ve got to be very careful about how you do that today.”
Hiring Singer makes sense for Lizzo
Ratner is not the only divisive figure that Singer has represented. He was also involved in the lawsuit against Bill Cosby for some time. Janice Dickinson was one famous figure who alleged that the comedian sexually assaulted her in the ’80s. If there is one thing that these defendants have in common, it is the need for a no-nonsense counsel. While he has been involved in other predicaments, such as stolen photos of female celebrities published online, his most notorious clients speak for themselves.
Lizzo now finds herself among these names due to accusations from her former employees. According to NBC News, the legal action claims that the singer forced her backup dancers to touch nude performers at an afterparty in Amsterdam. This is in addition to the alleged weight shaming they accused her of. These claims are so serious, it makes sense that Lizzo would employ a serious lawyer. Body shaming is only one accusation that has come to light and is extremely damaging to Lizzo’s brand, requiring serious damage control. No matter what you think of Singer and his previous clients, Lizzo is operating purely from a business angle at this point, looking to protect her career.