One day after Awful Announcing reported that Fox had requested a dismissal in a significant workplace misconduct lawsuit involving a top executive and on-air talents, two more defendants have responded to the allegations. Noushin Faraji, a former hairstylist for FS1, filed a lawsuit last month against former host Skip Bayless for sexual misconduct, claiming he offered her $1.5 million for sex. Faraji also accused current FS1 host Joy Taylor of ethnic harassment.
Both Bayless and Taylor have submitted separate defenses, seeking relief from the court. Bayless’ defense asserts that he did not commit any wrongdoing, arguing that Faraji “consented” to the alleged acts, even though she claims he would “give [Faraji] lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek while putting his body against hers and pressing against her breasts” in the original lawsuit. Additionally, he contends that Faraji’s alleged “emotional distress or pain” may result from “pre-existing psychological or medical conditions.” Taylor’s defense similarly claims that any emotional distress Faraji experienced was caused by “outside factors” unrelated to their conduct.
In their filings, both Bayless and Fox invoke the doctrine of “unclean hands,” which bars parties from seeking court relief if they have engaged in unethical behavior related to the matter at hand. Furthermore, they argue that Faraji did not adequately pursue internal remedies through Fox’s Human Resources department, despite her claims of approaching them several times, stating that internal processes failed her.
Interestingly, both Bayless and Taylor have chosen to secure outside representation instead of being represented by Fox, which is notable since California law typically requires employers to cover the defense costs of their employees (or former employees) during the relevant period.
The court filings can be accessed here and here.
