What did Stephen A. Smith say about Skip Bayless? Sportscaster seemingly defends the former Undisputed host over alleged $1.5 Million s*x offer

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, the sports journalist discussed the accusations against his former colleague Skip Bayless, the former ESPN and Fox Sports commentator. A former Fox Sports hair stylist, Noushin Faraji, sued Bayless. Faraji claimed Bayless s*xually harassed her and offered her $1.5 million if she slept with him.

Smith addressed the allegations and said he did not know what happened between them. However, he had known Skip Bayless for years and said he could not imagine him committing such serious s*xual misconduct. Smith playfully mentioned Bayless is one of the cheapest people he knows:

"I can't imagine it, especially when they brought up the half million dollars. The Skip Bayless I, I know,as a hard time giving away $15. He's one of the cheapest people I know. That's just me."

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Allegations against Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor explored

Stephen A. Smith mentioned Jay-Z and said that, like the rapper, he had known Skip Bayless for a long time. Bayless trusted nobody and always kept to himself. Smith finds it hard to believe such an antisocial person would allegedly harass Faraji.

Profile of ESPN Personality Skip Bayless (Image via Getty)

Smith also mentioned Joy Taylor, the Fox Sports host. Although he does not know her well, they have interacted several times, and he finds her to be "a professional, very good at what she does, very capable, very knowledgeable about the world of sports."

According to USA Today, the former hairstylist who worked at Fox Sports from 2012 to August 2024 accused Skip Bayless of harassing her. Faraji also accused Joy Taylor of allegedly sleeping with Charles Dixon and co-host Emmanuel Acho to advance her career.

As per VIBE, in the lawsuit, Faraji alleged that Taylor admitted that when Dixon was "no longer useful to her," she would accuse him of forcing himself on her and get rid of him.

Vibe also reported that once Faraji and Taylor's friendship deteriorated, she reportedly faced workplace harassment. Faraji once got s*xually harassed by Dixon at a party, and when she told Taylor about it, she dismissed her.

Fox Sports gave a statement to USA Today:

“We take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation."

Joy Taylor (Image via Instagram/@joytaylortalks)

According to Smith, Taylor is very big on women's empowerment, and it's difficult for him to accept that she reportedly told Faraji, "Get over it."

Smith then asked the Emmy-nominated journalist Tori Cooper about her thoughts as a woman. Cooper said she was initially disappointed to see Bayless being accused of s*xual harassment.

Cooper also said she related to Faraji's struggles. Initially, she left the sports industry because she was not taken seriously and was approached romantically. Smith asked her if flirting or not being taken seriously was harassment and what her definition of harassment was. Cooper responded that she did not consider it harassment.

She clarified that she was not harassed in the sports arena but in the news arena, and the man who reportedly harassed her was fired immediately. Cooper said she was initially scared to speak up but expressed gratitude to her female colleagues, who encouraged her.

Smith then asked her about Joy Taylor, who allegedly told Faraji to "Get over it." Cooper said that while she did not know what happened, she would not be surprised if Taylor said something similar.

Smith ended the segment hoping that if someone accuses him one day, people who have known him personally will say, "Nah, Stephen ain't doing that. That's not who the hell he is."