Former Fox Sports host Skip Bayless was named in a sexual misconduct lawsuit filed by a former network hairdresser this past week in California.
Lawyers for Noushin Faraji, who worked as a hairstylist and makeup artist at Fox Sports at the time Bayless was a leading personality on the network, allege she was “forced to endure a misogynistic, racist, and ableist workplace where executives and talent were allowed to physically and verbally abuse workers with impunity.”
Faraji began working at the network in 2012 and claimed Bayless began to harass her beginning in 2016 after he left ESPN and Undisputed was launched.
Front Office Sports reported on her allegations against him:
After starting work on the Undisputed morning show starring Bayless, the suit alleges that he began giving Faraji “lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek while putting his body against hers and pressing against her breasts.” The single mother alleges she repeatedly told Bayless she was not interested in him and did not “date at work”. She also claims she told Bayless she was suffering from ovarian cancer, after developing issues with her left ovary, in an effort to halt his advances.
Instead, Bayless became more aggressive over the years, according to the suit. He allegedly offered Faraji $1.5 million to have sex with him–and claimed he could “change” her life. The suit also claims Bayless accused Faraji of sleeping with Shannon Sharpe, his co-star on Undisputed.
As the suit alleges: “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.”
During her time at Fox, Faraji alleges she made multiple complaints to the Human Resources and Employee Relations departments.
In a statement to The Hill, Fox Sports said “we take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation.”
Faraji is requesting a jury trial and punitive and compensatory damages of an undisclosed amount.
Fox canceled Bayless’s “Undisputed” show last year as part of a shake-up of its daytime programming.
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Apparently, Fox Sports only takes allegations like these seriously AFTER a lawsuit has been filed.