Fox Sports, Skip Bayless, Charlie Dixon, Joy Taylor named in lawsuit including sexual battery

A former Fox Sports hairstylist filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon in Superior Court in L.A. against Fox, Skip Bayless, Joy Taylor and others, alleging years of bullying and abuse.

Noushin Faraji was employed at Fox Sports from 2012 through this past August and worked on several FS1 series including “Undisputed” before its cancellation.

First reported by Front Office Sports Sunday afternoon, the 42-page lawsuit alleges 14 counts against the plaintiffs. The suit claims that over Faraji’s decade at Fox, she dealt with a “misogynistic, racist and ableist” workplace that allowed for executives and talent to “physically and verbally abuse workers with impunity.”

“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. 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 lawsuit reads.

When reached for comment, a Fox Sports spokesperson said, “We take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation.”

Faraji requests unspecified damages and a jury trial.

The lawsuit alleges that Bayless offered Faraji $1.5M to have sex with him following years of sexual harassment. The lawsuit also claims Faraji made multiple complaints to human resources and employee relations.

Bayless is no longer at Fox following his departure from “Undisputed” in August and currently hosts a podcast on YouTube. That timeframe coincides with Faraji’s termination. Bayless has not commented on the matter.

“Ms. Faraji has suffered, and continues to suffer, losses in earnings, losses in other employment benefits, losses in other financial aspects. Furthermore, she has suffered, and continues to suffer, emotional distress, shame, embarrassment, and fear, all to her damage, in an amount to be proven at the time of trial,” the suit reads.

Faraji also claims Charlie Dixon, head of content for FS1, grabbed her buttocks at a birthday party in in 2021 in West Hollywood. When Faraji made Taylor aware of the incident, the former employee alleges Taylor told her to “get over it.” Faraji also alleges complaints of bullying against Taylor.

The suit also includes a class action provision for other employees who might have experienced conduct similar to what is alleged and also accuses Fox of not paying employees overtime they are owed or minimum wage. 

The complaint comes after Fox Sports switched up its weekday studio scheduling, including launching two shows and retooling Taylor’s “Speak.”

President & COO of Fox Sports Mark Silverman and CEO & Executive Producer Eric Shanks were not named in the complaint, but the lawsuit said the duo could be added to legal action following discovery.