Former Fox 2 Detroit anchor Taryn Asher, who is suing the station for alleged gender discrimination, was captured in leaked video footage using profanities and verbally lashing out at a supervisor. Asher, who was fired from the Detroit station in November 2025, claims she was removed from the air and subsequently lost her anchor position due to sexist discrimination.
However, sources close to the station and the legal case allege that Asher's 2023 suspension was partly due to her disrespectful behavior toward a female supervisor. The leaked clip, obtained by Deadline Detroit, shows Asher, 51, calling her superior a "bitch" and using the f-word during a heated exchange. The incident occurred while Asher was filming a public service announcement.
"I am, I'm in Amy's script. The Amy's Angels one. The second thing didn't make sense, so I was just trying to fix that part," Asher is heard saying, apparently in response to feedback about her reading. The conversation escalated, leading Asher to call the other woman a "bitch" as she walked away. Asher then added, "Geez-o-Petes," shaking her head.
Another voice is heard asking, "What the hell is going on around here?" to which Asher responded, "Can I please finish what I was going to say? What the f***?!" She continued, "Grow up," as an audio technician approached. Asher confided in the technician, stating, "I am so done with her antics! Her telling on me every five seconds - I'm done!"
Fox 2 Detroit submitted a court filing on Friday in response to Asher's lawsuit. The document claims Asher displayed "unprofessional behavior directed toward multiple employees in the preceding week." The filing also states that colleagues complained Asher would "shout at other employees in the newsroom about the order of guest interviews during one of the evening newscasts after Asher was the one who had misread the schedule."
Despite the station's pushback and the release of the video, Asher's attorney, Tad Roumayah, stated that his client denies engaging in "outbursts" or "unprofessional conduct." Roumayah told Deadline Detroit that Fox 2 admitted in its own filings that "multiple male employees had engaged in misconduct, including in the workplace, but were not fired." He asserted that the station is attempting to reframe Asher's complaints about unequal treatment based on sex and gender as "outbursts."
Asher filed her initial lawsuit in June, followed by an amended one in July. The suit alleges that the station suspended her in retaliation for her complaints about perceived favoritism toward her male co-anchor, Roop Raj. Asher reportedly raised concerns about gender discrimination after Paul McGonagle was appointed general manager in July 2025, claiming a pattern of men replacing women in leadership roles. She also alleged that Raj and other team members excluded her from discussions about guest interview assignments and that Raj received more interview opportunities.
Fox 2 Detroit has also demanded the return of a company-issued laptop, seeking monetary damages if Asher fails to comply. Asher has reportedly refused to return the device, citing "attorney-client privileged material" on it. According to court documents, the station continued to pay Asher until her official termination date in June 2026, even though she was not allowed back on air after her initial suspension.