Miss America suspends CEO Sam Haskell for encouraging misogyny, harassment
Miss America Organization (MAO) suspended CEO Sam Haskell on Friday after 49 former beauty queens appealed for leadership change. This comes in the wake of Huffington Post's Thursday story, that exposed emails between Haskell and top management, revealing their misogynistic, maligning treatment of the former Miss Americas, calling them cunts, 'malcontents', wanting to destroy their careers and even wishing death upon one of them.
Who is Sam Haskell?
Before joining Miss America's board in 2005, Haskell was the worldwide TV head of talent agency William Morris Endeavor. He's widely credited for revitalizing the MAO, extending its reach, popularity, and bringing the pageant telecast back to broadcast TV and its home venue Atlantic City. In his 12 years, he grew splendidly to become the organization's executive chairman and CEO, earning $500,000 a year.
What is in the emails?
There are innumerable emails that show how Haskell and team treated former pageant winners as embarrassing inconveniences and not honored alumnae. In an August 2014 email, he had asked Friedman that every ex Miss America be referred to as "former" and not "forever" as was customary. Friedman's response: "I'd already changed 'Forevers' to 'Cunts.' Does that work for you?" To this Haskell replied: "Perfect...bahahaha."
Haskell and team body-shamed, slut-shamed former Miss Americas
The leaked emails were exchanged over three years between Haskell and teammates, including president Josh Randle, former MAO writer Lewis Friedman, and board members Tammy Haddad (she resigned on Friday) and Lynn Weidner. In the emails, they body-shamed, slut-shamed and cussed former Miss Americas, particularly 2013 winner Mallory Hagan, 1989 winner and former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, and 1997 winner Kate Shindle.
'80% Miss Americas lack the class and smarts for success'
In another 2014 email, Haddad called Miss Americas "has beens," saying 80% of them didn't "have the class, smarts and model for success." She said they needed to be punished "when they don't appreciate what we do for them." Haskell hailed it as wise advice.
Haskell calls it a mistake of words, issues apology
Calling the Huffington Post story "dishonest, deceptive, and despicable," Haskell, in a statement on Friday night, apologized for "a mistake of words." Attributing the misjudgment to stress, he said it wasn't a CEO "laughing at inappropriate jokes and speaking about a former Miss America" but "a father whose family was being attacked, and a man whose character was being assassinated daily."
