Source: Getty/Michael Loccisano/Presley Ann / Getty/Michael Loccisano/Presley Ann
A new lawsuit against Fox Sports, Skip Bayless, Joy Taylor, and others alleges workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, and retaliation.
Over the weekend, Front Office Sports dropped a bombshell report filed by a woman named Noushin Faraji, who worked at Fox as an on-set hairstylist. She alleges several instances of workplace misconduct during her tenure from 2012 until August 2024.
According to Front Office Sports, Faraji is aiming for class-action status for other employees who may have faced the alleged misconduct.
“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 inexplicitly promoted,” reads the suit.
In the complaint, Faraji alleges Skip Bayless offered up $1.5M for sex, but she deflected, pointing out cameras in the area and possible cancer in her ovaries.
She alleges Skip ignored her, and the sexual advances continued to pressure her into accepting his offer in an encounter just a week later.
“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 alleges.
The lawsuit also focuses on Fox Sports host Joy Taylor, who Faraji claims was an integral part of the workplace harassment. Faraji alleges Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon had a sexual relationship with Taylor and then used his status in the company to promote her to television.
Furthermore, Faraji claims during a birthday party for Joy; the executive began “rubbing her body and grabbing her buttocks” without consent. Reportedly, when she shared the incident with Taylor, she responded with “get over it” before taking up for Dixon.
Also, Faraji alleges Taylor mentioned they only had a job because of Dixon before reminding her of his power to take “both away.”
In another portion of the lawsuit, Taylor is accused of having an affair with fellow sports analyst Emmanuel Acho.
According to the suit, both alleged relationships helped Taylor secure a more prominent position and greater opportunities at the network.
Lawsuit Alleges Strategic Coordination For Harassment That Ended With The Departure Of Bayless
The lawsuit also claims the friendship between Faraji and Taylor ended in 2021. Taylor allegedly began to mock Faraji’s Persian heritage before requesting a “black hairstylist,” which ended their time working together. The lawsuit alleges Faraji was kept by the network to “appease” Bayless until Undisputed was canceled in August 2024.
The lawsuit claims Dixon was informed the network could “only afford to have one hairdresser” for three shows after the cancellation, which she claims is retaliation.
“At this point, Ms. Faraji seeks justice,” the lawsuit states. “She knows that Mr. Dixon used his position of power to coerce women into having sex with him and used it as justification to grope Ms. Faraji. She knows that Mr. Dixon did not immediately fire her (after Ms. Taylor and Ms. Faraji had a falling out) only to appease Mr. Bayless by providing him with a plaything.”
Fox Sports declined a formal statement to Front Office Sports, opting to take the “no further comment at this time” route. Faraji is seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress, labor law violations, and injunctive relief to prevent further misconduct for others.
