5 Most Stunning Allegations in the Fox Sports Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Featuring Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor

A former Fox Sports employee filed a lawsuit accusing several key figures of creating a toxic work environment where sexual harassment was commonplace.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Los Angeles and reported Sunday by Front Office Sports. In it, hairstylist Noushin Faraji named Executive Vice President of Content for FS1 Charlie Dixon, former Fox Sports pundit Skip Bayless, and current host Joy Taylor, as the defendants and main sources of her mistreatment during her 12 years with the company.

Throughout her time with the company, Faraji claimed to have experienced, seen, and heard stunning details of workplace harassment and misconduct.

1. Skip Bayless Allegedly Offered Faraji $1.5 Million for Sex in Response to Her Saying She Might Have Cancer

Arguably the biggest bombshell in a lawsuit filled with them was Bayless’s alleged treatment of Faraji. She claimed the former Undisputed star once called her “voluptuous” during one of his weekly haircuts in the makeup room in 2017. Shortly after the weekly haircuts started, Bayless “began finding excuses to touch Ms. Faraji.”

“He would

give her lingering hugs after each haircut, putting his body against her own, pressing against her breasts,” the lawsuit states. “He then began to kiss her on her cheeks.”

In 2021, Faraji developed issues in an ovary that she was told might have been cancerous. When she relayed that news to Bayless hoping it would halt his advances, he allegedly offered her money for sex. When she rejected the offered and pointed out the fact that they were both married, he responded with a offensive remark about her Muslim faith.

“Approximately one week later, Mr. Bayless made another advance at Ms. Faraji,” the lawsuit continued. “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.”

2. Taylor Was Named Moderator of Undisputed Following Alleged Affair With Dixon

Faraji claimed to have met Taylor for drinks one night in 2016. Upon arrival, Faraji noticed Taylor sitting with a much older man — Dixon. The hairstylist suspected the two were sleeping with one another. Faraji later saw Dixon in an elevator at work and then told Taylor she spotted “the guy who always buys our drinks.” When Taylor explained who Dixon was, Faraji warned her of the dangers of such a relationship.

Later that year, word spread that Fox Sports would soon be launching its own debate show to rival ESPN’s First Take. The show, Undisputed, would feature Bayless and former NFL star Shannon Sharpe. Many were surprised to hear that Taylor, who was relatively inexperienced at the time, was named moderator of what would be the network’s flagship show; but behind the scenes, Dixon was allegedly “adamant” that she should be on the show.

3. Taylor Told Faraji to “Get Over It” When She Was Told Dixon Groped Her

By 2017, Faraji was working on Undisputed thanks to Taylor’s recommendation. Early that year, Taylor had her birthday party at a rooftop bar in West Hollywood. Multiple co-workers, including Dixon and Faraji, were present.

At some point in the night, Faraji was allegedly approached by Dixon, who then placed his hand on her lower back. After she refused a drink, he lowered his hand to grab her butt. She faked a phone call to get out of the situation.

When she confided in Taylor, the Undisputed moderator told her to “get over it” and that “she herself only had her job because of Mr. Dixon and that Ms. Faraji only had her job because Ms. Taylor requested her. She warned that Mr. Dixon could take both away.”

4. Taylor Allegedly Slept With FS1 Colleague Emmanuel Acho to Get Another Show

When Faraji met with Taylor for

lunch one day in 2020, she says found Taylor with a man who would later be identified as Acho. Faraji didn’t know him at the time, but, like with Dixon, she said she could tell Taylor and Acho were romantically involved. Once Faraji discovered he was a co-worker, Taylor revealed that she wanted him to recommend her for the show Speak for Yourself. The complaint says Faraji warned her against having affairs with both Acho and Dixon at the same time, but Taylor said there was nothing to worry about.

“She explained that she was also now powerful,” the lawsuit states, “and once Mr. Dixon was no longer useful to her, she would follow through on her plan to tell the company that he forced himself on her. She would not allow herself to be forced out by Mr. Dixon like other women talent.”

5. Fox Sports Producer Wasn’t Punished for Harassing Faraji Because He Supplied Talent With Cocaine

Faraji also claimed she face mistreatment at the hands of Bobby Diaz, who was in charge of putting the microphones on the talent. She accused Diaz of mocking the way she spoke English and sexualizing the way she ate fruit. According to her, Diaz also openly gropes and harasses other women at Fox, but has not been fired “due to his role in supplying cocaine to numerous Fox employees and talent.”