Skip Bayless and His "PR Guru" Wife Have Been Together for Nearly Two Decades
"You’re just going to have to know from day one that you’ll be second in my life to my work," Skip told his now-wife.
Published Jan. 6 2025, 10:10 a.m. ET
Former Undisputed co-host Skip Bayless has had a noteworthy sports commentating career, but 2024 brought some turbulence. Industries are evolving, and even those who once enjoyed job security are feeling the shift. In August 2024, Skip essentially parted ways with Fox Sports, leaving his future in the industry uncertain.
One constant, however, has been his relationship with his wife. That’s right — Skip is married and has been with the same woman for nearly two decades. Ernestine Sclafani Bayless, a self-proclaimed PR guru and fashionista with a resume to back it up, has stood by Skip through it all.
Skip Bayless and his wife have been married since 2016.
Before tying the knot in 2016, Skip and Ernestine had already been together for 11 years.
While Skip’s name is widely recognized thanks to his decades-long career in sports commentary — starting in the 1970s as the sports editor for his college newspaper, The Hustler — Ernestine has built an impressive career of her own.
Ernestine is an author, PR expert, and fashion enthusiast. In 2019, she published Balls: How to Keep Your Relationship Alive When You Live with a Sports-Obsessed Guy.
These days, Ernestine runs her own PR business, which she launched in 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before starting her own company, she spent 13 years as Vice President of Consumer Media Relations at Weber Shandwick, from 2005 to 2018.
In the decade prior to that, Ernestine served as Vice President and Group Head at Interpublic/Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, showcasing her extensive experience in the PR industry.
In terms of education, Ernestine studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Do Skip Bayless and his wife have kids?
No, Skip and his wife have not welcomed any children over the course of their relationship. They are dog parents, however.
Skip has expressed in the past that he didn’t want children so he could focus on his career — something his wife would also come second to.
During an October 2024 visit to The Pat Bev Podcast, Skip revealed, "On my first date with my now-wife Ernestine … I said, 'If this relationship ever lifts off and goes any place, you’re just going to have to know from day one that you’ll be second in my life to my work,'" he explained.
He added, "Because it’s not just my work to me — it’s my passion. It’s my life. It’s my essence. It’s my reason for being." Although Skip has made it clear how important his work is to him, he has found a way to include his wife in the commentating. The two now collaborate on Skip vs. Ernestine episodes of Skip's podcast.
Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor were named in a workplace harassment lawsuit in 2025.
While Skip seems to be working to refocus and keep his career steady by hosting his own podcast and appearing on others, a former colleague came forward in January 2025 with a lawsuit naming Skip and Joy Taylor, who served as the moderator on his previous show, among those accused of inappropriate behavior.
Noushin Faraji, a former Fox Sports hairstylist, claims Skip offered her $1.5 million to have sex with him, per USA Today. He also allegedly professed that he wanted to be with her. As for Joy, the lawsuit alleges she "insulted Ms. Faraji on a personal and professional level," among other things.