Madison Square Garden (MSG) honoured longtime New York Rangers superfan Larry Goodman, known as 'Dancing Larry', during Wednesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, despite a new lawsuit alleging he groped female staff members. Goodman was celebrated on the jumbotron for his 30 years of entertaining fans at the arena, even as the legal action accuses him of 'pervasive and severe' harassment.
The lawsuit, filed in New York County Supreme Court, was brought by Miranda Tyson, a former member of the Rangers' Blue Crew entertainment team and daughter of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson alleges that Goodman engaged in repeated unwanted physical contact during his third-period routines, including touching performers' heads, necks, arms, shoulders and backs, and attempting to intertwine fingers during high-fives.
An MSG spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, but a source familiar with the situation told the New York Post that the allegations are unfounded and the organisation continues to support Goodman. Journalist Jonathan Ouimet criticised the decision to feature Goodman, calling it 'another avoidable own goal' that gave 'fresh attention to a controversy'.
Goodman, a season ticket holder, has performed at Rangers games since 1996 and is known for dancing to 'Strike It Up' by Black Box during the third period. He is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which targets MSG and the Rangers for allegedly failing to address complaints and allowing the conduct to continue.
Tyson claims they raised concerns with supervisors and human resources from 2021 onwards, but no meaningful action was taken. In March 2024, they formally reported the behaviour, stating that MSG had a responsibility to address 'textbook sexual harassment'. The suit also alleges that other colleagues reported 'even more egregious conduct', including spitting into people's mouths.
Tyson's position was eliminated in August 2025 after they continued to report the alleged misconduct, which they argue was retaliatory. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for lost wages, benefits and future earning capacity, plus interest.
