Yesterday, I was emailing with a friend and this was the exchange:
Friend: "Josh Allen is in my top five faves, so I was sad that he had to back out.
Me: "Wonder what the real Joshua story is."
Friend: "Me too."
See, I spoke to Nigel Lythgoe last week and I wasn't buying what he was selling when it came to the reason Joshua wasn't on So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation. "Personal reasons" is a PR 101 line, but what piqued my curiosity is what Nigel followed it up with: "So we agreed to let him out of his contract.
When I was writing that, I kept thinking, Was Joshua fired?
It's not Nigel's place to be telling Joshua's story since there are legal issues at play and he has to tow the company line with FOX. That's understandable.
The charges against Joshua are very serious. He has a history of domestic violence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. You can read their press release here.
This timeline also makes sense to those of you who watched my Dance Network interview with Marko Germar on Monday. I asked him when did he find out that he would be participating in SYTYCD this season. He told me it was about a month ago.
Joshua's latest domestic violence incident occurred on June 19.
Watch my interview with Joshua on March 29 at the High Strung premiere.
I know many of you are in shock and disappointed by the news. I certainly am, but let's also remember that domestic violence is a widespread issue. It can happen to anyone of any race, any socioeconomic background and any age.
I hope the victim is safe with family and friends.
The statistics from The National Domestic Violence Hotline are staggering:
There is a lot of shame and embarrassment associated with being a victim and that's why many remain silent. I hope anyone feeling alone knows that there are organizations and people here to help. Please reach out.
If you, a friend or family member needs help or feels they are in danger, please call The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).