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THE MISS AMERICA Organization suspended its CEO yesterday, less than 24 hours after leaked emails surfaced showing him and others disparaging the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former Miss Americas.
Sam Haskell said he will abide by the suspension, even while decrying the Huffington Post story on Thursday that publicised the emails as “unkind and untrue”.
“My mistake is a mistake of words,” Haskell wrote in a statement issued last night, shortly after the board suspended him indefinitely while it investigates the situation.
Much of what was reported is dishonest, deceptive, and despicable.
“The story is so unkind and untrue, and hurts me, my family, and the stewardship of this nonprofit,” he wrote. “Those who know my heart know that this is not indicative of my character, nor is it indicative of my business acumen.”
Yashar Ali, who wrote the Huffington Post article, defended its accuracy last night, saying he was given the emails by two sources “who felt that Mr. Haskell’s behavior was egregious”. Ali said he now plans to publish all the emails he received in a future story.
The Miss America Organization said its board “will be conducting an in-depth investigation into alleged inappropriate communications and the nature in which they were obtained”.
The statement came hours after 49 former Miss Americas signed a petition demanding the resignation of Haskell and other pageant officials, as did more than 1,600 state and local titleholders, contestants and pageant volunteers.
The Miss America Organization did not indicate whether Haskell would be paid during his suspension.
Vulgar emails
The emails included one that used a vulgar term for female genitalia to refer to past Miss America winners, one that wished that a particular former Miss America had died, and others that speculated about how many sex partners another former Miss America has had.
Several of the emails targeted Mallory Hagan, who won the 2013 pageant, claiming she had gained weight after winning and speculating about how many men she had sex with.
“My hope is that this story that broke will bring light to the type of behavior that’s been in leadership of the Miss America Organization and really help us put in place some people who care and who embody the mission of Miss America,” Hagan said in a Twitter video.
Having somebody bully you, demean you, degrade you in any way is not OK.
Haskell said he was attacked for a year by two former Miss Americas who he did not name, “which impaired my judgment when responding to the inappropriate emails sent to me about them. For that, I deeply apologise”.
“I have the utmost respect for the women of this program and contestants at every level,” he continued. “It breaks my heart for anyone to think otherwise.”
Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell, who signed the petition, told The Associated Press she “lived under this misogynistic leadership for a year of my life, and I’m definitely glad to see all of this evidence come into the light”.
She also said pageant officials “told me which former Miss Americas I wasn’t allowed to associate with or pose for photos with”.
High cost
Yesterday, the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority began reviewing its contract with the Miss America Organization, which has about $4 million left on it, after numerous local and state officials called for the final year of the deal to be killed.
The emails already cost the pageant its television production partner and raised questions about the future of the nationally televised broadcast from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall the week after Labor Day each year.
Dick Clark Productions told the AP on Thursday night that it cut ties with the Miss America Organization over the emails, calling them “appalling”.
The Huffington Post article shows that Haskell and others directed considerable attention to Hagan. He forwarded an email he had been sent regarding Hagan to a writer for the pageant, who has since been terminated.
The writer responded by questioning whether he and Haskell were part of a tiny group of people who had not had sex with Hagan.
According to the Huffington Post, Haskell replied: “It appears we are the only ones!”
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They are part of a contest where they are literally judged on their appearance and intellect…
@Martin Black: I think it’s a ridiculous competition but that doesn’t give the CEO the right to refer to them in the manner he did. If he wouldn’t say it to their faces he certainly shouldn’t be saying it through email.
@Martin Black: intellect???
@Number 20: Indeed people have; but have you ever participated in a group chain email that said desparaging things about people with whom you interactions with were on a professional basis, and where you were the head of the professional organisation?
@Number 20: “You only care when white men in positions of power do it, don’t you.” – No. I care about any person in a professional setting, especially if they are in a position of power, going on a tirade against another. It is unacceptable behaviour.
@Number 20: do you believe he behaved in an unprofessional manner or not? Forget comparing him to the behaviour of people who call themselves journalists etc. Do you think it was unprofessional of the ceo to take part in this or not? And if it was ridiculously unprofessional, which I think it was, do you think there should be repercussions or not?
@Number 20: No I haven’t written a letter of complaint. I have signed petitions, and I protest with my pocket by not purchasing such publications, or visiting such websites. And that’s not a secret. It is also a different issue to the one at hand. We are talking about professionals not acting professionally. And yes, if this person had been female I would expect a similar response to the behaviour.
@Number 20: no doubt you would as I am human and I tend to prefer animals to people more and more recently. But in a professional capacity if someone does something like this, there are repercussions, as there would be against me if I were to do what he did. When I was in college I did part time work in a chain store. The manager decided to have an unmerciful b**** about one of the staff to two other members of staff. He just didn’t like the guy and decided to air everything about him that he knew and some. He was reported to the regional manager and there were repercussions. I think this is basically that but it’s getting more hype because he’s the ceo of something that a lot of people have issues with already and of course it makes for great click bait.
@Number 20: Who hasn’t, but he worked with these women in a professional capacity and put his comments in writing, presumably using his work email.
@Number 20: Aaaah, the classic “what’s the big deal, everyone’s doing it?” defence. That one never loses it’s shine, does it?
The writer “who has since being terminated”. Harsh. Releasing information will be interesting in this latest case. Pageants will have to be banned – especially ones for kids.
@lavbeer: to be honest ive always thought kids beauty pageant type contests were beyond weird.
@Number 20: did I specify particular pageants? Nope, don’t believe I did. I just find them all weird. Funny that you only seem to find that one weird… I personally find them all weird..
https://youtu.be/L1HQtUqpR-g
@Number 20: oh also.. Weren’t child beauty pageants banned in France?
@Number 20: no there really wasn’t, maybe you will keep that in check in future, but I doubt it.
@Number 20: if I say I have a problem with child beauty type pageants, why would I make an exception because the child is in drag? A child is a child and I don’t think putting them on display in 60 tonne of make up and the feathers of half a flock of flamingos is beneficial to any child and will make them link their worth to their appearance and their ability to entertain others. I think that’s unhealthy for any child. The way you asked the question comes across like you expected me to say I thought it was OK. They are all children, they deserve childhoods.
@Number 20: oh I know full well why you brought it up, and given that I’m a so called progressive in your words and I don’t encourage this behaviour, you have just proven that you know sod all about what supposed progressives are pushing and have just given an insight into your own mind. Don’t accuse me of being passive aggressive when you are the one who was on the attack in the first place, there’s a good lad.
@Number 20: oh and a happy Christmas to you too.
@Number 20: jeesk, you wish someone a happy Xmas and you get called rude. Go figure
@Dell: I find the use of Xmas instead of Christmas pretty rude and offensive myself.
@Number 20: jesus wept..
@Let free speech live: I’m sure you do… And I’m glad you took the time to share that with us all.
@Number 20: grow up would you? You came on here with an agenda and with a preconception and you were wrong. Deal with it. Crying about me being rude is just silly at this stage. Dry your eyes up and move on for the love of whatever.
@Number 20: same question to you.
@Number 20: Methinks you doth protest too much !
Shame on whoever leaked the emails bringing this celebration of female empowerment into disrepute.
@alphanautica:
At the end of the day, they all have lovely bottoms.
@alphanautica: yes I’m sure you guys only look out for women and equality.
pretty stupid things to say in emails where there is a permanent record of what you said. The guy brought the suspension on himself.
have your say