Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler has been removed from ads for the upcoming Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas, Nevada, after being accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in the 1970s.
The 74-year-old singer, who was originally listed as the celebrity honoree for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center’s Power of Love Gala, has now disappeared from marketing materials for the event, according to a report by Daily Mail.
Tyler’s removal from the Gala’s marketing materials comes just days after he was sued by Julia Holcomb, who claims the rocker sexually abused her when she was 16 and he was 25 — and that he pressured her into getting an abortion.
Holcomb’s lawsuit took advantage of a temporary state law that waived the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse allegations. The stars of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet similarly took advantage of the law to sue the film’s studio for “sexual abuse” because of a nude scene, shot when they were minors, allegedly while they were assured their private parts would not be visible on screen.
While the suit does not mention Tyler by name, it identifies the rocker as “Defendant Doe” and quotes directly from his 2011 memoir. Holcomb has also previously spoken publicly about her alleged relationship with Tyler.
According to a report by Las Vegas Review Journal, Tyler’s manager Larry Rudolph confirmed Wednesday that the Aerosmith singer will not attend the February 18 event at MGM Grand Garden, citing health issues that will prevent him from making any public appearances until at least spring.
Rudolph reportedly said that Tyler is resting following recent health concerns, and “Steven’s doctors have instructed him to take care of himself, but he will be back this year.”
Last month, Aerosmith canceled the final six shows of its Deuces Are Wild residency at Dolby Live in Las Vegas. It remains unclear what exactly has happened to Tyler’s health.
While the rock band canceled the six shows, ending on December 7, Tyler was still a part of the Power of Love’s promotional material until Tuesday of this week, the Las Vegas Review Journal pointed out.
Additionally, the link to Tyler being announced in September as the Gala’s leading celebrity honoree has been removed from the Cleveland Clinic’s official website, the report added.
Tyler was announced as an honoree alongside philanthropist John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of the John Paul Mitchell Systems hair-care company. And while the singer’s name has been removed, DeJoria’s name is still on the website.
The Power of Love Gala seeks to raise funds to combat Alzheimer’s, as well as those afflicted with the disease and their families.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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