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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 23 december 2017
Citing crass emails, ex-Miss Americas call for CEO’s ouster

By WAYNE PARRY Hagan said in a Twitter considerable attention to has since been terminated. who had not had sex with
Associated Press video . “Having somebody Hagan. He forwarded an The writer responded by Hagan. According to the
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) bully you, demean you, email he had been sent questioning whether he Huffington Post, Haskell
— Dozens of former Miss degrade you in any way is regarding Hagan to a and Haskell were part of replied: “It appears we are
Americas called on not OK.” writer for the pageant, who a tiny group of people the only ones!”q
leaders of the pageant Miss America 2016 Betty
organization to step down Cantrell, who signed
in the wake of an email the petition, told The
scandal in which the CEO Associated Press she “lived
and other officials used under this misogynistic
crass and vulgar terms to leadership for a year of my
refer to past winners. life, and I’m definitely glad
The Huffington Post to see all of this evidence
reported Thursday on come into the light.”
the emails, which mock She also said pageant
some former winners’ officials “told me which
appearance, intellect and former Miss Americas
sex lives. One email used I wasn’t allowed to
a vulgar term for female associate with or pose for
genitalia to refer to past photos with.”
Miss America winners. In other emails, a former
A petition organized by writer for the pageant
former Miss North Carolina notes the death of one
Jennifer Vaden Barth former Miss America and
garnered the signatures of muses that he wished In this Aug. 30, 2016, file photo, Sam Haskell, left, CEO of Miss America Organization, speaks
49 former Miss Americas by 1998 Miss America Kate during Miss America Pageant arrival ceremonies in Atlantic City, N.J.
midafternoon Friday. The Shindle, who wrote a book Associated Press
petition called the emails critical of the Miss America
by CEO Sam Haskell and Organization, had died
others “despicable” and instead. Haskell responded
faulted officials who “sat to the email, indicating it
by without objection while made him laugh.
such derisive comments And Haskell wrote of tactics
were passed around.” that would drive 1989 Miss
“We are deeply disturbed America Gretchen Carlson
and saddened to learn “insane.” The Huffington
of the sickening and Post reported she had
egregious words used by clashed with Haskell and
Miss America leadership,” pageant officials over
the petition read. “We her push to modernize
collectively call for their the organization, and her
immediate resignation.” refusal to attack other
The Miss America former Miss America
Organization said Thursday winners.
night that Haskell has On Friday, Atlantic City’s
apologized, and that incoming and outgoing
the group is revising mayors, as well as two
its policies regarding state Assemblymen,
communications, adding called on the state
it considers the matter Casino Reinvestment
closed. Haskell and Miss Development Authority to
America Organization end its partial subsidy of the
officials did not respond pageant, which has about
to requests for comment $4 million left on it.
Friday. The emails already cost
Several of the emails the pageant its television
targeted Mallory Hagan, production partner and
who won the 2013 raised questions about the
pageant, claiming she future of the nationally
had gained weight after televised broadcast from
winning and speculating Atlantic City’s Boardwalk
about how many men she Hall the week after Labor
had sex with. Day each year. Dick Clark
“My hope is that this story Productions told the AP
that broke will bring light to on Thursday night that
the type of behavior that’s it cut ties with the Miss
been in leadership of the America Organization over
Miss America Organization the emails, calling them
and really help us put in “appalling.”
place some people who The Huffington Post
care and who embody the article shows that Haskell
mission of Miss America,” and others directed