A choreographer is suing the legendary Cher for racial discrimination, after she allegedly requested he not cast more dark-skinned black dancers.
According to the lawsuit filed by choreographer Kevin Wilson, the alleged incident occurred while they were auditioning dancers for Cher’s “Dressed to Kill” tour. The complaint alleges racial discrimination by the 68 year old, accusing her of hiring a white, blonde dancer over a more qualified African American. The lawsuit centers on California’s whistle-blower law that protects employees who are fired for reporting illegal activity. Three backup dancers were allegedly fired.
Wilson claims when he commented that he particularly liked “a minority female dancer,” and Cher replied, “We have too much color onstage.”
The suit, which was filed by attorney Perry Wander, alleges that Cher reportedly, then, told him to find a white, blonde dancer.
A representative for the “Believe” singer denies all claims, calling them “ridiculous” and “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
The singer-actress had to postpone three weeks of shows due to a viral infection earlier this month. The tour has been ranked amongst the top-ten grossing tours of 2014.