On Monday (Jan. 6), Noushin Faraji, an ex-hairstylist for Fox Sports, filed a lawsuit accusing the likes of FS1 EVP Charlie Dixon and former Undisputed host Skip Bayless of sexual battery, retaliation, misconduct, and more. Joy Taylor found herself caught in the crossfire of the lawsuit alleging that she slept with Dixon and future co-host Emmanuel Acho to get positions on shows like Speak and Undisputed.
Taylor allegedly told Faraji that she was hoping that Acho could recommend her for the new show in 2020, and Faraji told her it was “dangerous” to sleep with Acho and Dixon simultaneously. The suit claims Joy Taylor assured Faraji that she had power now, and when Dixon was “no longer useful to her,” she would claim he “forced himself on her” to get him ousted.
Faraji’s suit additionally accused Joy of workplace misconduct and alleges she was bullied by her after their friendship had deteriorated. One particular moment found Faraji at the mercy of Dixon, who she claimed grabbed her butt without consent during a birthday party in West Hollywood. She told her then-friend, Joy Taylor, about the unpleasant encounter, to which the journalist allegedly told her “to get over it.” Taylor was also accused of mocking Faraji’s Persian accent and threatening to get the stylist fired if she came forward about her inappropriate relationship with Dixon.
But who is Joy Taylor? The viral lawsuit has led Joy Taylor to be thrust further into the mainstream spotlight, with more people looking for information about the FS1 host. Learn about Joy Taylor below.
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Graduated From Barry University
Image Credit: Ann/Getty Images for Fuse Media Joy Taylor isn’t a “random bartender from Miami,” despite what the internet will have you think.
Taylor attended and graduated from Barry University with a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast communications in 2009. Taylor hosted a show called The Noise and was the manager of BU’s WBRY 1640 AM while completing her education.
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Before Fox Sports
Image Credit: Marroquin/Getty Images for Haute Living Joy scored a three-year job working at 790 Am The Ticket in Miami, where she started as an executive producer. From there, Taylor became the co-host for 790’s Zaslow and Joy Show—the station’s top-rated morning-drive sports radio show. Her first national job came from CBS Sports, where she became the host of Fantasy Football Today and Thursday Night Live programs. She would eventually join Fox Sports in 2016.
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Sports Adjacent Family
Image Credit: Benc/Getty Images Joy Taylor‘s big brother is NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. The 50-year-old is known for being one of the most decorated defensive players in Miami Dolphins history. Jason was drafted by the team in 1997 and quickly cemented his name as one of the greats, leading (and still leading) the franchise in having the most games played by a defensive player in team history (204 games) and is the Dolphin’s all-time sack leader (131 sacks).
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A Survivor
Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot During a 2017 episode of Undisputed, Joy Taylor, Shannon Sharpe, and Skip Bayless discussed the Ezekiel Elliott domestic abuse case. Taylor shared her experience with domestic abuse live on air to give viewers added insight into how serious the allegations were.
“It’s so difficult to get people, once they have made a decision, to understand how serious this is,” she said. “And for those of you who don’t know, I’ve survived domestic violence. Horrible things. I’ve had someone… try to choke me and suffocate me at the same time and then throw me down the stairs, kicked me in my chest after dragging out of a car—I can go on and on. It’s very difficult. I have been in the ‘she said, he said’ situation, and believe me, the ‘she said’ was 100% right, but it’s very hard to get through when it’s just you and them.”
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In 2014, Taylor also penned a story in Miami’s Community News detailing her time in a relationship with an abuser as a response to the horrific Ray Rice incident at the time. Her missive, much like her speech on Undisputed, looked to provide a deeper connection to the women being hurt in the situation.
“I am not a weak person,” she wrote. “I have endured years of abuse since I was a child. I never thought as an adult I would allow someone to take my power and control me. I defended him and stood by him. I lied for him. I threw out my morals and convictions. I was very blessed to have people around me who were stronger than me. People who pushed me to leave and reminded me every day, despite my depression and darkness, that I could take control and leave.”
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