Skip Bayless, Joy Taylor Named in Fox Sports Hairstylist's Bombshell Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
A hair stylist previously employed by Fox Sports is alleging sexual harassment in a 42-page lawsuit obtained by Front Office Sports.
Former employee Noushin Faraji alleged in the documents that a network executive utilized "his position to sexually harass women," in addition to claims that sports commentator Skip Bayless propositioned her for sex, and touched her inappropriately.
According to the sports hub, those listed in the legal document include Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, Fox Sports EVP Charlie Dixon, Bayless, and FS1 host Joy Taylor.
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The detailed lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Friday, January 3, alleges inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Faraji alleged that she'd made multiple complaints to the Human Resources and Employee Relations department.
According to Faraji, Dixon — Executive Vice President of Content for FS1 — grabbed her buttocks during a West Hollywood birthday celebration. Upon relaying the incident to Taylor, the fellow Fox employee reportedly told her to "get over it."
After Bayless began working on the Undisputed morning show, Faraji alleges that he began giving her "lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek while putting his body against hers and pressing against her breasts." per the suit.
Faraji continuously declined his advances, reportedly telling Bayless she doesn't "date at work," and was suffering from ovarian cancer in an effort to ward him off. Simply declining wouldn't be enough, as the suit alleged that Bayless would later offer her $1.5 million to have sex with him as he claimed he could "change her life."
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"Approximately one week later, Mr. Bayless made another advance at Ms. Faraji. Ms. Faraji responded: 'Skip, stop, you have a wife.' Mr. Bayless responded: 'Aren't you Muslim? Doesn't your dad have three to four wives?' Ms. Faraji responded that her father was dead, and when Mr. Bayless looked taken aback, she made an excuse to leave," the suit stated, per FOS.
The documents also allege that Bayless accused Faraji of having sexual relations with his former co-star Shannon Sharpe, who has created a popular platform of his own Club Shay Shay.
Faraji claimed that TV host Taylor began insulting her "on a personal and professional level" after their friendship came to an end, including allegedly mocking Faraji's English accent.
"Ms. Faraji brings forth this action because for over a decade at Fox, she was forced to endure a misogynistic, racist, and ableist workplace where executives and talent were allowed to physically and verbally abuse workers with impunity," the suit alleges, per FOS.
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"When Ms. Faraji and others came forward to report the wrongdoing, instead of addressing their concerns, Fox retaliated against them while the perpetrators and those who protected them were inexplicably promoted. This case thus represents yet another in a long line of cases chronicling the toxic culture at Fox, marked by bad faith promises and repeated failures to address a poisonous and entrenched patriarchy," the filing added.
Faraji also alleged Taylor, 37, was in an intimate relationship with former NFL linebacker-turned-analyst Emmanuel Acho and Dixon to advance her career.
In a statement to Front Office Sports, Fox said they "take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation."
Faraji is reportedly seeking monetary damages in addition to a jury trial.
