Last week, a class action lawsuit was filed against Fox Sports, related companies, and defendants listed as- Skip Bayless, Joy Taylor and Charles Dixon, well known broadcasters in the sports industry, who have all been named for playing a role in the lawsuit, detailing a work experience riddled with multiple counts of sexual harassment, imbalance of power between employees and fraudulent ways certain employees have allegedly acquired their success,
Noushin Faraji, the woman who filled the lawsuit, worked on set of Fox Sports as a hairdresser from 2017 to 2024. The suit has two parts – a Class Action and Individual complaint. The class action complaint included “Failure to pay minimum wages, Unfair Unlawful or fraudulent business practices, etc.” But the individual complaint is what is gaining the most attention, for the outrageous and unbelievable allegations stated in the suit.
In the individual complaint, it included Sexual battery, three counts of hostile work environment on the basis of sex, race and disability, failure to prevent harassment, negligent supervision, relation and wrongful termination.
In the suit, the defendant accused Skip Bayless, one of the network’s longtime show hosts, of giving her “lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek”, commenting on the shape of Faraji’s body and the most shocking of them all- offering 1.5 million dollars in exchange of sleeping with her. When Faraji declined, Bayless allegedly threatened her job as stated by wate.com. Bayless also went onto make racist comments, when Faraji declined his advances, he said “Aren’t you Muslim? Doesn’t your dad have three to four wives?” when she brought up his wife.
Faraji also alleges in her suit that Charles Dixon also was “rubbing on her body and grabbing her buttocks”, and when she spoke out this allegedly led to her wrongful termination, as Dixon had requested, she be fired for exposing a relationship he had with other employees. (hollywoodreporter.com)
And finally, Joy Taylor seems to be getting the worst of all the backlash, though her place in the suit was somewhat minor. Faraji’s suit states that Taylor told Faraji to “get over it” when she came forward about her assault with Dixon and was allegedly to be having a relationship with both Dixon and Emmanual Acho, Acho being another Fox Sport’s show host. The suit furthers her relations with Dixon, stating that very relationship is what allowed Taylor to host the show “Undisputed”. When Dixon and Taylor’s relationship was found out by Taylor’s then husband- Dixon paid him off. (sporting.news)
The public is very obviously shocked, many sports fans astonished by the severity of the suit and the absurdity of certain things alleged, like the 1.5 million and Joy Taylor’s actions. Some even took to TikTok, making jokes about the situation as well.
Some fans had a lot to say like Mike Hunte, a senior at Wharton.
“I can believe the things the things alleged in the lawsuit because when people get to higher positions where they feel now can happen to them they tend to do wild things.” He says.
“I can see this happening at any news setting.” Hunte goes onto say, “I think things like this happen often in this day and age when someone in at a high position misuses it.”
Erza Vines also had his own perspective.
“Workplace harassment in industries like that are pretty common. Dan Schneider is an example that is commonly used, there’s plenty of stories about him harassing women on set.”
“Men that have power like that are comfortable doing what they do because they realize that it’s them and the entire corporation against hs accusers. It’s a “who are they going to believe? Me or you? Type of situation.’’ Vines goes onto state.