By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-06 18:53:31 | Updated at 2025-01-08 02:27:04
1 day ago
Dave Portnoy doesn't see why Joy Taylor was named in Friday's bombshell lawsuit against the FS1 host, her former on-air partner Skip Bayless, Fox and network executive Charlie Dixon.
What's more, the Barstool Sports founder suspects a 'shakedown.'
That lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of stylist Noushin Faraji, accuses Taylor of advancing her career by leveraging sexual relationships with Dixon and Taylor's current on-air co-host, ex-NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho. Furthermore, Taylor allegedly schemed to protect her job at the network by fabricating a sexual misconduct allegation against Dixon, a Fox Sports executive vice president in charge of talent.
'Who f***ing cares if they had a consensual relationship or not?' Portnoy asked on X of Taylor and Acho. 'And since when is Acho some heavyweight who gets people promoted? I honestly don't even know why Joy Taylor is in the lawsuit?'
To Portnoy's question, Taylor is also accused of discouraging Faraji from reporting Bayless and Dixon to human resources over sexual harassment allegations.
Describing the lawsuit as a 'shakedown,' Portnoy then declared he would 'reserve judgement before burying people.'
Joy Taylor (left) is seen sitting alongside Emmanuel Acho prior to an FS1 broadcast
Dave Portnoy doesn't see why Joy Taylor was named in Friday's bombshell lawsuit
Noushin Faraji (pictured) has accused Skip Bayless of sexual harassment, and claims Joy Taylor discouraged her from reporting those allegations to human resources at Fox
'I just think it stinks to high heavens,' he wrote, adding that he doesn't have any inside information on the case.
'My bulls*** meter is on a hundred million trillion in this Fox sports lawsuit,' Portnoy wrote on X. 'Just accusing people of s*** doesn't make it facts. Time will tell. I will say I think all the accused shouldn't listen to their lawyers + should loudly be defending themselves if they are innocent.'
Portnoy, who has previously been accused of violent sexual encounters with women in a 2021 Business Insider piece, went on to explain why the accused should not listen to attorneys.
'No lawyer in history of world has ever told me to publicly defend myself,' Portnoy wrote. 'They are always wrong.'
Portnoy did sue Business Insider over the 2021 article, which he called a 'hit piece.' That lawsuit was dismissed and he eventually dropped his appeal. Portnoy was never charged over any sexual misconduct and still proclaims his innocence.
Taylor, Dixon, former FS1 host Skip Bayless and the Fox Corporation are named in Faraji's lawsuit, much of which focuses on allegations of sexual harassment, 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.
Portnoy questioned why the lawsuit names Taylor, who is accused of discouraging the plaintiff from reporting allegations of sexual harassment against Skip Bayless and Charlie Dixon
The Barstool Sports founder says he will 'reserve judgement before burying people'
According to Faraji, Taylor was willing to make accusations against Dixon to protect her job
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 leveraged 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.'
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.'
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.'
Hair stylist Noushin Faraji (pictured) has accused Fox Sports of creating a hostile workplace
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
Former Fox host Skip Bayless, 73, is pictured with his wife of eight years, Ernestine Sclafani
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.'
'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 representatives and her foundation for comment. Attorneys for Bayless, Dixon and Taylor have not yet been provided to Los Angeles Superior Court.
The sister of former Miami Dolphins star Jason Taylor, Joy Taylor was engaged to former NBA player-turned-coach Earl Watson, although the pair has since split.
