Joy Taylor came up often in a lawsuit filed earlier this year by former FS1 hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who accused Taylor of harassing her while also maintaining inappropriate sexual relationships with fellow FS1 talent and executives.
In response, Taylor hired outside counsel and denied every allegation. A court filing from Taylor’s representation called the lawsuit “a transparent attempt to improperly leverage media attention and public perception to extract financial gain.” Taylor was reportedly “sidelined” by FS1 for a few weeks starting in late February, but continues to host Speak as of late June while negotiating a new contract.
Outside of a profile at The Cut in April, Taylor has chosen not to speak publicly about the allegations or the legal battle. The lawsuit highlights Taylor’s previous marriages and paints her rise at FS1 as a byproduct of casual dalliances with men in power rather than her talent or broadcasting ability. It also accuses her of manipulating and being racist toward Faraji.
Last week, Taylor appeared on The Breakfast Club in New York City and openly addressed the lawsuit and its reaction for the first time. While Taylor refrained from discussing specific accusations and glossed over her contract status, saying “we are in the process of things right now,” she opened up about the “grief process” since the lawsuit and why she chose to remain on-air and stand tall despite the ugly allegations she faced.
“No. I’ve never felt compelled to litigate that. Genuinely,” Taylor explained.
“I have felt a lot of different emotions. I think it’s a grief process when anything like that happens. I’ll say, I’ve been through a lot of traumatic things in my life. A lot. And I think any time you go through a trauma or a grieving period of something, you can’t decide who you are when it’s happening. And that’s been the biggest thing for me. It’s this or that. I’m working on it, but it’s this or that. And I know years from now I’ll look back, and I will feel differently than how I feel right now. And I’m trying to be patient with myself in that way, because it’s a lot to adjust to. It’s a new reality. And I’m trying to choose myself and be gentle with myself in that sense.”
In the profile at The Cut, reporter Irin Carmon spoke with Taylor’s confidante, Kelly Blanco, who contextualized Taylor’s pain in the aftermath of the lawsuit.
“I think this has proven to her that she can’t be as trusting,” Blanco told The Cut. “I think that Joy now knows that she needs to be a better judge of character.” Blanco hinted that Faraji was a friend of Taylor’s, which is part of why Taylor was hit hard by the framing of the accusations.
Still, Taylor continued to host her headline-grabbing, aptly named podcast Two Personal. The audience would not have guessed Taylor was facing professional issues as she delved deep into relationships, love, and culture.
Taylor said she did this by design, staying front-facing rather than shrinking in the face of the allegations. She knows that scrutiny is a natural part of a high-stakes industry in the public eye.
“It was intentional to show up as I did. I’m not an unintentional person, particularly when it comes to what people see from me publicly,” Taylor explained.
“But when you know yourself, it’s easier to continue to show up as you are. And there’s always going to be things that happen in life, that happen in this business, that happen when you’re a front-facing person. And when you get into the business, that is the risk we take. Of putting ourselves in front of the camera, of putting yourself out there. That things, at some point, might not be the best for you. I mean, what’s meant for me is still coming. So I won’t say that there were not dark times, but I’m very blessed to have an amazing family and amazing friends and mentors and an amazing team. People that know me and have known me for my whole life reminding me of who I am and what I deserve.”
Later in the interview, Taylor listed her former cohost Taylor Rooks, MJ Acosta-Ruiz, and mentors Colin Cowherd and Dan Le Batard as industry colleagues she trusts to help her through her career. Taylor comes from a tight-knit sports-focused family that includes her older brother, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.
Legal proceedings between Faraji, FS1, and the other defendants continue, but Taylor is taking a new tack publicly and aiming to take control of the narrative.