Allegations in a lawsuit claim that FS1 host Joy Taylor leveraged sexual relationships with ex-NFL star co-host Emmanuel Acho and network executive Charlie Dixon to advance her career in sports media.
Reportedly, the 37-year-old broadcaster also allegedly plotted to safeguard her position at the network by inventing a sexual misconduct accusation against Dixon, who is an executive vice president at Fox Sports overseeing talent.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles on behalf of hair stylist Noushin Faraji, includes a statement indicating that Taylor intended to accuse Dixon of sexual assault once she no longer found him beneficial to her career.
Taylor, Dixon, former FS1 host Skip Bayless and the Fox Corporation are named on Faraji’s lawsuit, much of which focuses on allegations of sexual battery, negligent supervision, retaliation and other hostile workplace issues between 2012 and August of 2024. Bayless is accused of offering $1.5million to Faraji for sex, while Dixon is accused of groping the stylist’s buttocks.
Taylor, herself, is accused of dismissing Faraji’s complaints about sexual harassment against Bayless and Dixon, telling the hair stylist to ‘get over it.’
But in addition to those allegations are Faraji’s claims that Taylor admittedly used sex to advance her career – first with Dixon and then with Acho, the retired NFL linebacker and Taylor’s co-host on FS1’s ‘Speak.’
FS1 host Joy Taylor is pictured on Emmanuel Acho’s social media account
FS1 host Joy Taylor used sexual relationships with ex-NFL star co-host Emmanuel Acho (left) and network executive Charlie Dixon (right) to further her career, according to Faraji’s lawsuit
Hair stylist Noushin Faraji (pictured) has accused Fox Sports of creating a hostile workplace
With Dixon, Faraji began to suspect that he and Taylor were having an affair in 2016 despite both being married at the time.
‘In approximately May 2016, Ms. Taylor asked Ms. Faraji to meet for a drink in Santa Monica,’ read the lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com. ‘When Ms. Faraji arrived, she found Ms. Taylor with an older man, Fox Sport’s Executive Vice President of Content, Mr. Dixon. As Executive Vice President, Mr. Dixon is responsible for overseeing all content and production on FS1. Ms. Faraji, however, did not know Mr. Dixon.
‘From their body language, Ms. Faraji suspected that the pair were sleeping with each other, and although this concerned Ms. Faraji as she knew Ms. Taylor was recently married, Ms. Faraji kept her opinions to herself.’
Taylor was just a fill-in host at the time but was later added to the network in a full-time role. And according to Faraji, that decision was made at Dixon’s insistence over the objections of Bayless.
‘Mr. Bayless later disclosed to Ms. Faraji that he did not want Ms. Taylor on the show, but Mr. Dixon was adamant that Ms. Taylor should star,’ the filing reads. ‘At first, Mr. Dixon arranged a dinner between Mr. Bayless and Ms. Taylor where she arrived in provocative clothing and acted in a provocative manner. When that did not change Mr. Bayless’s opinion of Ms. Taylor, Mr. Dixon asked him to approve of her as a favor to him. Reluctantly, Mr. Bayless agreed to do so as a favor to his friend.’
Joy Taylor (left) is seen sitting alongside Emmanuel Acho prior to an FS1 broadcast
Former Fox host Skip Bayless, 73, is pictured with his wife of eight years, Ernestine Sclafani
Taylor would soon split with her husband, Richard Giannotti, who is not named in the suit.
And according to Faraji, it was because Taylor’s now-ex discovered proof of her infidelity.
‘Around August 2016, Ms. Faraji attended a dinner with Ms. Taylor and her husband and Mr. Dixon and his wife,’ the filing reads. ‘During the dinner, Ms. Taylor’s husband became suspicious that Ms. Taylor and Mr. Dixon were having a sexual relationship. Soon after the dinner, Ms. Taylor’s husband found evidence of the inappropriate relationship and divorced Ms. Taylor.’
Taylor is again accused of using ‘her sexuality to get on a show’ in 2020, when she sought a spot on Acho’s program.
‘Ms. Faraji did not know Mr. Acho but could tell that the two were romantically involved,’ the filing reads.
According to Faraji, Taylor all but admitted to having sex with Acho and dismissed talk of any jealousy by Dixon.
‘A few months after meeting Mr. Acho at the lunch, Ms. Faraji noticed him in the hallway while at work,’ the filing continues. ‘Ms. Faraji later asked Ms. Taylor if Mr. Acho also worked at Fox.
‘Ms. Taylor confirmed and explained that she wanted Mr. Acho to eventually recommend her on the show ‘Speak for Yourself.’
According to Faraji, Taylor was willing to make accusations against Dixon to protect her job
‘Ms. Faraji became alarmed and warned Ms. Taylor that she should probably not sleep with Mr. Dixon and Mr. Acho at the same time, as Mr. Dixon is a very powerful man that may become very angry. Ms. Taylor told her not to worry about it. She explained that she was also now powerful, and once Mr. Dixon was no longer useful to her, she would follow through on her plan to tell the company that he forced himself on her. She would not allow herself to be forced out by Mr. Dixon like other women talent.’
Curiously, Acho has since deleted a social media of himself praising Taylor for her professionalism.
Fox has released a brief statement, although Taylor, Bayless, and Acho have remained silent on the issue.
‘We take these allegations seriously and will allow the legal process to run its course,’ read the network statement. ‘We have no further comment at this time.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Taylor’s foundation for comment. Attorneys for Bayless, Dixon and Taylor have not yet been provided to Los Angeles Superior Court.
Taylor has since been engaged to former NBA player-turned-coach Earl Watson, although the pair have since split.
