'SNL' in Hot Water? Sexual Assault Victim Claims Reality Stars Hosted Predatory After-party
In a recent lawsuit filed against SNL star Horatio Sanz, more names are being tagged by the unnamed sexual assault victim as defendants to the crime.
In a lawsuit filed last August, an unnamed victim accused comedian Horatio Sanz for sexual assault when she was only 17 years old. CNN reports that according to the case, the alleged abuse happened during a 2022 SNL after-party hosted by Lorne Michaels, known as the creator and producer of the NBC reality show.
The tagged names in the new complaint include SNL host Jimmy Fallon, Creator-Producer Lorne Michaels, and cast member Tracy Morgan. Entertainment Weekly reports that, according to the filing, the SNL stars watched her get groped by comedian Horatio Sanz, "in full view of party onlookers, continuing the assault even as she implored him to stop".
"She was profoundly dehumanized as her heroes stood and laughed at her while her teenage body was violated. She felt like she would never be the same. Her mental health and professional aspirations were entirely derailed," the new lawsuit states. "We look forward to holding NBC, Sanz, and everyone else who enabled this disgusting behavior accountable."
According to the filing, the SNL after-parties allowed young girls such as the unnamed victim to attend and drink alcohol despite being underage. The parties also reportedly hired sex workers as entertainment.
How Did the Victim Meet the SNL Stars?
According to the suit, the unnamed victim had been able to attend the SNL after parties after running a former SNL fan page that got hacked. After emailing SNL, she received an encouraging response from Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz. Shortly after, the victim had attended a dress rehearsal of the reality show, where comedian Sanz had allegedly kissed her on the cheek.
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NBC's Dismissive Response
According to Page Six, a representative from NBC stated that regarding the legal allegations against comedian Horatia Sanz, the network claims that they cannot be held liable for the alleged crime as it was done "after hours" off the show. Additionally, NBC claims that the unnamed victim has no evidence to show that the network knew about the comedian's "alleged predatory behavior".
Despite NBC's dismissal on the case, a CNN report show photos of the unnamed victim in various after-parties, posing alongside the suspect SNL stars.
