Skip Bayless Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images
Sports media personality Skip Bayless has been accused of repeatedly harassing a former Fox Sports hairstylist, allegedly offering her $1.5 million to have sex with him.
In a lawsuit filed on Friday, January 3 in Los Angeles and obtained by Front Office Sports, Noushin Faraji — who was an employee of Fox Sports from 2012 through August 2024 — says the behavior began when she started working on FS1’s Undisputed, which Bayless cohosted alongside Shannon Sharpe from 2016 to August 2024.
Bayless allegedly made the money offer to Faraji after she told him she had ovarian cancer in an attempt to ward off his advances. In response, Bayless said he could “change” her life.
“The more you say no the more I want you,” Bayless told Faraji, according to the suit.
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During her time on Undisputed, Faraji claimed Bayless would give her “lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek while putting his body against hers and pressing against her breasts.”
Faraji, who is a single mother, claimed she told Bayless multiple times she was not interested and did not “date at work.”
In addition, Faraji alleged Bayless made an offensive remark about her background when she attempted to thwart his actions.
“Mr. Bayless made another advance at Ms. Faraji,” the lawsuit states. “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.” (Bayless has been married to Ernestine Sclafani since 2016.)
According to the lawsuit, Faraji made multiple complaints to the Human Resources and Employee Relations departments while working at Fox.
In a statement to Front Office Sports, Fox Sports said, “We take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation.”
Us Weekly reached out to a lawyer and representatives for Bayless for comment.
Undisputed was canceled in August 2024, though no mention of inappropriate conduct by Bayless accompanied the announcement. Faraji says she was fired by Fox Sports shortly after the show’s cancellation.
At the time, Bayless said he had been “planning to pursue other opportunities for several months. I had a great 8-year run with a lot of great people at Fox, but now I’m excited for what’s coming up. Stay tuned.”
“Despite Ms. Faraji being an excellent hairdresser and continuously being requested by talent, she was shrunken down to how much she could appease Mr. Bayless, and once Mr. Bayless was gone, so was her job,” the lawsuit says.
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The lawsuit also claims that Bayless accused Faraji of having sex with Sharpe, 56, Bayless’ former Undisputed cohost.
Faraji alleges that Bayless apologized for the accusation about Sharpe in 2023, acknowledging it was untrue.
Sharpe himself responded to the lawsuit Sunday, January 5 on his “Nightcap” podcast.
“That ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Sharpe said. “It doesn’t. What do y’all want me to say? That ain’t got nothing to do with me. So, there’s nothing to address.”
