October 11, 2007

Lou Pearlman Hits Back At Sexual Allegations

By MTV.com

Disgraced boy-band svengali Lou Pearlman is hitting back at allegations in a Vanity Fair story in which former members of male groups he worked with alleged inappropriate activities and sexual improprieties.

Speaking to Radar magazine, Pearlman called the story "slander" and denied any wrongdoing.

"I don't think there's anything wrong [with having one's] own sexual preference, but no, I've never dated nor have I been interested in men sexually," Pearlman said in response to a question about whether he is gay.

He dismissed a number of the allegations against him as mostly sour grapes from people who are or have been in litigation with him, or whose careers did not take off. Pearlman also denied giving massages to any of his former clients and the allegation that he told a young man that in order to get into a band he had to perform a sex act on him. He also said former Take 5 member TJ Christofore made up a story about Pearlman wrestling on a bed with a number of young men while wearing only a towel.

"T.J. [Christofore] is making up this story," Pearlman said. "He sued me in child-labor court and lost. If what he says is true, you would think he would have brought it up to help his case. The fact that he never mentioned this in court should tell you where he's coming from. He's just trying to join the lynch party. Besides, I've never owned a towel that could wrap all the way around me anyway."