ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says he’s “heartbroken” over the sexual harassment allegations against his former co-host Skip Bayless and says the charges don’t sync with what he knows of Bayless.
Noushin Faraji, a hairstylist formerly employed by Fox Sports, named former host Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor as defendants in a sexual harassment lawsuit in which she claims Bayless offered her $1.5 million to have sex with him. Faraji accuses Taylor of telling her to “get over it” after informing her of Bayless’s offer and taking part in the alleged sex culture at Fox Sports herself by sleeping with people to advance her career.
On Monday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the professional hot-taker expressed shock at the allegations.
“Eating the same breakfast and lunch every day,” Smith continued. “His vise is a Diet Mountain Dew, and he doesn’t socialize with people. That’s the guy I know, so imagining him being in this kind of position is shocking, to say the least. All I could tell you is it’s not the Skip Bayless I know.”
Smith continued, “I don’t know her,” Smith said of Faraji. “I don’t know them. I know Skip, and I’m very, very heartbroken that he finds himself in this situation and being accused of these allegations. But I can’t be over the airwaves being irresponsible and attaching truth or guilt to anything that I know nothing about.”
Faraji also claims to have a voice recording of Bayless pleading with her to have sex with him.