娱乐英语新闻:John Travolta sued by male masseur for sexual assault

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhuanet) -- John Travolta is being sued by a male masseur who claims the Hollywood star sexually assaulted him during a massage, but the star's rep dismissed the claim as "baseless lie," media reported on Tuesday.

In court papers filed in Los Angeles last Friday, the unidentified masseur claimed that Travolta, 58, propositioned him and touched himself lewdly during a message session in January inside a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Travolta's spokesman labelled the claim in a statement "a complete fiction and fabrication. None of the events claimed in the suit ever occurred."

"On the date when plaintiff claims John met him, John was not in California and it can be proved that he was on the East Coast," the statement said.

The civil suit claims assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and the masseur is seeking 2 million U.S. dollars plus punitive damages.

The masseur's lawyer told Reuters that he wanted to investigate his client's claims and discuss it with Travolta's representatives to see if there is any way it could be resolved ... to make it easier on everyone.

Travolta, who is an ambassador for Australia's flagship airline Qantas, rose to fame in the 1970s on television sitcom "Welcome Back Kotter."

He has been nominated for two Academy Awards and has been married to actress Kelly Preston since 1991.