Lizzo Not Banned From Staples Center Following Viral Thong Twerk

Lizzo is welcome to return to Staples Center whenever she wants, despite the online backlash on her outfit choices. The “Good as Hell” singer made headlines earlier this week when she went viral after dancing during a Los Angeles Lakers home game and revealing a cheeky black t-shirt dress that exposed her behind. The viral moment led to many critics asking she be banned from future events in the venue.

A viral video from the fame between the Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves showed Lizzo twerking in the dress to her song “Juice,” before turning around and exposing her thong. The moment made it into the Jumbotron during a break in the game.

Despite the online backlash, Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live president Lee Zeidman said rumors of the Grammy-nominated singer’s ban from the venue were “ridiculous.”

“She is not banned from the Staples Center and is welcome here anytime,” Zeidman said in a statement to Billboard. “It’s ridiculous that these rumors get started and that people write these types of things without making any attempt to find out the truth. It’s very lazy and disrespectful.”

Zeidman had previously debunked the rumors on Twitter, writing on Thursday: “Really getting tired of reading all the bloggers commenting on [Lizzo] being banned from [STAPLES Center] couldn’t be further from the truth. We look 4ward to hosting her at the Grammys in Jan. & if Staples Center is her choice to play LA on her next tour selling out her shows.”

The controversy did not stop the singer from enjoying a week of recognition. As her amazing 2019 continues with sold-out shows, her recent album and eight Grammy nominations, the “Soulmate” singer took home the Entertainer of the Year title from Time Magazine, and was included in the category “Entertainers of the Year” by Entertainment Weekly.

Lizzo previously spoke out after the controversy during an Instagram Live Monday.

“Who I am and the essence of me and the things I choose to do as a grown ass woman can inspire you to do the same,” she told her followers. “You don’t have to be like me, you need to be like you and never ever let somebody stop you, or shame you from being yourself. This is who I’ve always been.”

“Now everyone’s looking at it…and your criticism can just remain your criticism. Your criticism has no effect on me, negative criticism has no stake in my life, no control over my life, over my emotions,” she continued. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been I’m surrounded by love and I just want to spread that love – and also spread these cheeks. And you know what? If you really, really don’t like my ass, you can kiss it. ‘Cause kissing it makes it go away, I promise.”

“I’m a really solid grounded person and I know that I’m really shocking because you’ve never seen in a long time a body like mine doing whatever it wants to do and dressing the way that it dresses and moving the way that it moves,” she said. “But I don’t want to censor myself because I’m suddenly famous, or I don’t want to censor myself because everyone’s looking at me now. I’m not going to quiet myself, I’m not going to shrink myself because somebody thinks that I’m not sexy to them.”