A newly unsealed deposition from Kesha’s ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke shows a heated exchange between Dr. Luke’s lawyer and Lady Gaga, according to the Blast. The deposition, which took place in September 2017, began with Gaga’s lawyer informing the opposing counsel that she was experiencing PTSD from her own sexual abuse as a result of the proceedings, and noted that at the time of the deposition she was already in tears. Gaga began by recounting how she initially met Kesha at Dr. Luke’s home studio, and that Kesha had been in a back room with only underwear on.
When asked by Dr. Luke’s lawyers if she thought the accusations of assault had hurt Dr. Luke’s reputation, she responded, “Reputation, if you are asking about his reputation in the world, I don’t feel at liberty to speak for the entire world. So if you are asking what my view is of his reputation, I made my view of him and his reputation when I saw her in that back room. That was an image that — of something that happened to me, and I felt and knew in my heart that she was telling the truth, and I believe her.†When pressed by Dr. Luke’s lawyers for any proof she had of an assault, Gaga said, “She told me he assaulted her.â€
“Well, you know — when men assault women, they don’t invite people over to watch,†she said after Dr. Luke’s lawyers asked whether Gaga had any proof beyond what Kesha had told her. “And when this happens in this industry, it is kept extremely secret, and it is compounded by contracts and manipulative power scenarios that actually include this very situation that we are all in right now.â€
After a seemingly heated exchange with Dr. Luke’s lawyer about whether Gaga agreed in the existence of false rape accusations, the pop star offered some final thoughts before they took a break, “Why on earth would this girl tell the entire world this happened? Why on earth? Do you know what it’s like for survivors? Do you know what it’s like to tell people? Don’t you roll your eyes at me. You should be ashamed of yourself.â€