Renewed allegations from a backup dancer who worked with Jennifer Lopez during her 2020 Super Bowl halftime show have fueled criticism of the 56-year-old singer’s workplace conduct, with claims of body shaming and demeaning treatment now spreading widely across entertainment media.
Dancer Turned Down Second Invitation After Rehearsal Ordeal
Mia Starr, whose off-stage name is Mikey Pesante, revealed that she declined an opportunity to work with Lopez again after what she characterized as the worst professional experience of her career. The 40-year-old performer, who has also danced alongside Britney Spears and Rihanna, said the rehearsal period for the Miami Super Bowl show left her feeling what she described as “icky.” Starr later went on to compete on season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag Race after her years as a professional dancer.
During a YouTube conversation with fellow drag performer Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Starr detailed the series of incidents that soured her experience. When Brooks asked whether Starr considered herself a Lopez fan, the dancer replied, “Team Shakira all day.” Brooks declared her permanent allegiance to Mariah Carey and delivered a pointed message directly to Lopez.
Humiliating Nine-Hour Session Without a Shirt
The problems began early in the preparation process, according to Starr. On the second day of rehearsals, Lopez arrived to review choreography and examine the physical appearance of her dancers. Lopez then singled Starr out and instructed her to remove her shirt, addressing the entire group with a criticism after seeing her. Starr said Lopez told the group, “Guys, I need you to elevate yourselves. I need you to go to the gym and take care of yourself.”
What Starr described as a nine-hour shirtless rehearsal session followed. She likened the experience to hazing and said she spent hours dancing while feeling deeply self-conscious, questioning aloud why she had put herself in that position. Starr said Lopez was visibly repulsed by her body and made little effort to hide it. In a subsequent Entertainment Weekly interview, Starr said Lopez made it clear she was not pleased with what she saw, describing a look of what Starr called outright disgust.
Ice Cream and Elephant Ears as Petty Follow-Up
The situation escalated the following day when Lopez arranged for an elephant ear truck and an ice cream truck to be brought in for the dancers. Starr recalled marching to the front of the line, making eye contact with Lopez, and offering a pointed “thank you,” only for Lopez to address the group again with the same “elevate yourselves” directive. Starr met the gesture with deliberate defiance and took the repeated comment as confirmation that Lopez had it out for her specifically.
Despite acknowledging Lopez’s artistry, Starr made clear that the behind-the-scenes atmosphere was intolerable. She said the experience stood apart from anything else in her career with some of the biggest names in the music industry, and not in a way that reflected well on the superstar.
The timing of the resurfaced allegations proved damaging for Lopez, landing amid a fresh wave of online mockery that included a viral resurgence of jokes tied to the Four Seasons incident that has dogged her public image. The confluence of old complaints and new ones has painted a portrait of a star whose reputation for difficult behavior has proven remarkably durable. Critics note the irony of a performer who has spent years marketing a message of confidence and self-acceptance through her JLo Beauty brand being accused of tearing down a dancer’s self-image in front of her peers.
Lopez, who starred in Kiss of the Spider Woman and has built a parallel business empire, has not publicly responded to Starr’s allegations. With the story continuing to gain traction across entertainment media, the silence is becoming harder to ignore.
Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/videos/jennifer-lopez-former-employee-alleges-185908164.html
https://www.newsbreak.com/shefinds-518722/4712514560852-jennifer-lopez-former-employee-alleges-body-shaming-amid-rude-and-diva-behavior-claims
https://www.shefinds.com/collections/jennifer-lopez-body-shamed-backup-dancer/
https://www.boredpanda.com/reality-star-makes-disturbing-accusations-about-jennifer-lopez/