These are interesting times for Fox Sports, to say the least. There have been plenty of moments when their brand has been under fire, but nothing of this nature comes to mind in recent times. Details recently emerged of a new lawsuit levied against network executive Charlie Dixon and famous talking head Skip Bayless. In the lawsuit, a former hairstylist for the company accused both of making “unwanted” sexual advances towards her.
While those claims are terrible in and of itself, the biggest talking point about the lawsuit has instead been Joy Taylor. The currrent co-host of “Speak” on the network is claimed by the hairstylist – Noushin Faraji – to have mocked her accent and dismissed her after Faraji confided in Taylor about the Dixon incident. The detail that most stuck out to everyone on social media, though, was the revelation that Taylor was in a sexual relationship with Dixon.
That has led to fans eviscerating Taylor for making it to the top through unworthy means. Taylor appeared on her show after the news came out and hasn’t addressed it. While she tries to play it cool, Stephen A. Smith has come to her defense.
Stephen A. Smith calls out fans for hypocrisy in Joy Taylor situation
Now working for ESPN, Smith has stood up for his competitor.
Has it been about Charlie Dixon? Not that much. Has it been about Skip Bayless? Not that much at all. Has it been about Fox Sports overall? Really, not that much at all. It’s all significantly paled in comparison to the level of vitriol, venom, insults and beyond aimed at one, Miss Joy Taylor… But what I find most egregious is the abundance of women out there who are laughing, who are pointing the finger at Joy Taylor with a profound level of guilt, as if they know.
Smith is more perturbed by women who are questioning Taylor’s “credentials” and “credibility” as a media professional. While he admits the situation between Taylor and Dixon was “dicey, make no mistake about it“, Smith believes it’s been taken too far in terms of the criticism hurled at Taylor.