Longtime tv sports activities firebrand Skip Bayless is accused of creating repeated undesirable sexual advances and providing $1.5 million to have intercourse with a former Fox Sports hairstylist, in keeping with a lawsuit filed by the girl.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in Los Angeles, accuses Bayless, then a Fox Sports host, of making an attempt to strain plaintiff Noushin Faraji right into a sexual relationship, together with allegedly providing her $1.5 million for intercourse after she advised him of a most cancers scare in 2021.
The lawsuit was first reported by Front Office Sports.
NBC News doesn’t usually establish individuals who allege sexual misconduct until they’ve publicly recognized themselves, as Faraji has carried out within the lawsuit.
In a press release, Fox Sports mentioned: “We take these allegations severely and don’t have any additional remark right now given this pending litigation.”
An legal professional for Bayless didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail and textual content message searching for remark Monday.
The lawsuit additionally names standard host Joy Taylor, accusing her of telling the plaintiff to “recover from it” when Fox Sports 1 government Charlie Dixon allegedly groped her at a celebration. Taylor and Dixon didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark Monday.
The go well with alleges that Faraji, who it says labored each on a part-time after which full-time foundation at Fox beginning in 2012 till her firing in 2024, started working with Bayless in late 2016 whereas he was co-hosting the present “Undisputed,” after he requested she do his hair. Taylor was the moderator on the present.
Soon after requesting weekly haircuts, Bayless started initiating undesirable touching within the type of lingering hugs wherein he would put his physique in opposition to Faraji’s and press in opposition to her breasts, in keeping with the go well with. That was kisses on the cheeks and inappropriate feedback, together with calling Faraji “voluptuous,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Mr. Bayless then began being extra aggressive and direct in his advances. Ms. Faraji repeatedly declined, stating that she didn’t date at work as she is a single mother and wanted her job,” the go well with states.
After discussing the problem with a co-worker, each determined it will be detrimental to report the state of affairs, since Fox “protected highly effective males,” in keeping with the go well with.
Instead, the go well with states, Faraji determined to be sort towards Bayless or threat shedding her job: “As a single mom who relied on her job to assist her son, Ms. Faraji felt that she had no alternative.”
Bayless continued making sexual advances over time, which Faraji would decline by making excuses relating to her son, altering the topic or making jokes, the go well with says.
In 2021, after being advised that a difficulty with certainly one of her ovaries may very well be most cancers, Faraji allegedly defined the state of affairs to Bayless in hopes that he’d “take pity on her and stop his advances.” Instead, Bayless advised her he wished to be along with her, started kissing her palms and supplied her $1.5 million to have intercourse with him, the authorized submitting alleges.
Faraji made an excuse to go away, the go well with says.
Around June 2024, earlier than his departure from the community, Bayless allegedly advised Faraji that he fantasized about intercourse along with her and requested how a lot cash it will take for her to acquiesce, to which Faraji responded by replying that she had already refused his $1.5 million supply and her reply wouldn’t change.
“The extra you say no the extra I would like you,” Bayless replied, in keeping with the go well with.
Faraji and Taylor’s friendship started in March 2016 after Taylor moved to Los Angeles from Miami, the lawsuit says.
At a January 2017 birthday celebration for Taylor, Dixon — who had allegedly been “closely ingesting” — positioned his arm on Faraji’s decrease again earlier than “rubbing her physique and grabbing her buttocks,” the go well with states. Faraji faked a name to get out of the state of affairs, in keeping with the go well with, and advised Taylor what had allegedly occurred.
“Surprisingly, Ms. Taylor responded to ‘recover from it’ and defined that she herself solely had her job due to Mr. Dixon and that Ms. Faraji solely had her job as a result of Ms. Taylor requested her,” the submitting claims. “She warned that Mr. Dixon may take each away.”
Another co-worker additionally suggested Faraji to maintain quiet, the go well with alleges.
“At this level, Ms. Faraji seeks justice,” the lawsuit states. “She is aware of that Mr. Dixon used his place of energy to coerce ladies into having intercourse with him and used it as justification to grope Ms. Faraji.”
The lawsuit additionally alleges a hostile work surroundings on the premise of intercourse, race or nationwide origin, and incapacity, in addition to negligence, retaliation and wrongful termination.
The go well with alleges Faraji and Taylor’s friendship led to late 2021, after which Taylor started insulting the plaintiff, who’s of Iranian descent, on a “private {and professional} stage.”
In 2023, Taylor “started brazenly mocking Ms. Faraji’s English” and complaining about her buzzing — a coping mechanism for Faraji’s post-traumatic stress dysfunction — the go well with states.
Faraji was fired shortly after Bayless left the community, and given a false pretext for her termination, in keeping with the go well with.
“Despite Ms. Faraji being a wonderful hairdresser and repeatedly being requested by expertise, she was shrunken right down to how a lot she may appease Mr. Bayless, and as soon as Mr. Bayless was gone, so was her job,” the lawsuit says.
Bayless left Fox Sports final 12 months and at present hosts “The Skip Bayless Show” podcast. Taylor at present hosts the FS1 present “Speak.”
The plaintiff is searching for equitable damages, compensatory damages, emotional damages, punitive damages and attorneys’ charges by a jury trial.
The go well with additionally consists of class-action allegations, and claims Fox staff weren’t paid for all of their hours labored, compensated for time beyond regulation or reimbursed for enterprise bills.
