For an organization based on women's empowerment, the past half-decade has been marred with a disturbing number of controversies and scandals for the Miss America Organization (MAO). Amidst rebranding and restructuring, the competition program has faced allegations of misogyny, leadership changes, revoked funding and accusations of bullying.
With a proper noun like Miss America, you would envision an organizational structure based on upholding the democratic standards of America. Unfortunately, events in recent years take put a much more than tyrannical face on the organisation, tarnishing its reputation. Let'southward take a look at some of the hateful girls (and guys) causing some of the issues.
Sam Haskell Takes the Pageant Back to Atlantic City
Later just ix months, Mallory Hagan passed on the Miss America title in September 2013 because of schedule and location changes. In an email exchange between Sam Haskell, the pageant CEO, and his daughter, Mary Lane, the ii expressed affection for Hagan.
Lane wrote, "Hither's hoping you get another good one!" in reference to the upcoming Miss America 2014 broadcast. Haskell replied, "It's going to exist hard to supercede Mallory, but I'thousand hopeful!" Meanwhile, Haskell was hoping the director of development at his production company, Brent Adams, would pursue a relationship with his daughter.
While Mallory Hagan was the reigning Miss America, she spent fourth dimension at Haskell's home, where she met Brent Adams, who supervised nigh aspects of Haskell'due south concern and personal life. Fearing the touch a romantic relationship would have on their careers, they decided to date — just non until subsequently she passed on the crown.
Haskell was song about his disappointment with this development and tried to convince Adams to forget well-nigh Hagan saying, "All of this can be yours. You lot don't need a piece of trash like Mallory. Y'all need someone with class and money like my daughter."
Tammy Haddad Calls for Penalty of Dissenters
In May 2014, MAO lath member Tammy Haddad wrote an email to Haskell encouraging him to avoid getting riled up by former Miss America. She referred to them as a "pile of malcontents and has-beens who blame the plan for non getting them where they recall they tin can go."
She further commented, "80% of the winners do not accept the class, smarts and model for success … You have to let them become. You don't need them. They need you. We also have to punish them when they don't appreciate what we practice for them."
Kate Shindle Takes Shots at Sam Haskell
Meanwhile, in 2014, Kate Shindle wrote her memoir most her experiences as Miss America 1998. Titled Being Miss America, the book was prepare to be released in September, and she pointedly targeted Haskell. She expressed her objections to his $500,000 salary, despite MAO operating at a arrears.
Shindle also accused Haskell of blacklisting anyone who disagreed with his leadership decisions. She alleged that he would have the national organization call the state-level pageants with a list of people they were not allowed to acquaintance with if they wanted to go along participating in Miss America.
Gretchen Carlson Stands Her Ground Confronting Haskell and Haddad
Gretchen Carlson, Miss America 1989, had a history of butting heads with Haskell and Haddad over her want to modernize the organisation and her refusal to attack contestants. In a 2014 email sent to former Miss Americas regarding Shindle's volume, board member Lynn Weidner asked, "Is it possible for each of you lot to speak out in defence force of Sam and the organization?"
Carlson'south reply was, "Information technology'southward one affair to talk almost your own personal feel every bit Miss America … simply totally different to attack people individually." In response, Haddad replied privately to Haskell, "Snake, just now u take no doubts as to her loyalty."
Things Get Ugly and Words Are Said
In 2014, Haskell wrote an email to Lewis Friedman, author of the Miss America telecast, requesting a script change: "Sharon [MAO President] and I have decided that when referring to a woman who was once Miss America, nosotros are no longer going to call her Forever Miss America … please change all script copy to reflect that they are Former Miss Americas!"
Friedman replied, "I'd already changed "Forever" to [the C-word]. Does that piece of work for you?" Haskell responded, "Perfect…bahahaha." Writing to Haskell, Friedman commented that Mallory was "preparing for her new career as a blimp in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade."
Haddad Plots Against Carlson
Quondam Miss America Susan Powell replied to Weidner's e-mail with a supportive response. Haddad encouraged Haskell to use the email to annoy Carlson. "Why don't you read Susan Powell's email on the board call and say it's a shame that only i Miss America has come forward to offer help in whatsoever way."
Carlson wasn't featured on the Miss America broadcast, which was unusual considering her prominence. Shortly later on that, she resigned from the MAO board, reportedly because Haskell and other board members were maligning her integrity and telling others she could not exist trusted.
Lewis Friedman Has a Death Wish
In Dec 2014, erstwhile Miss America 1959, Mary Ann Mobley, passed away. Lewis Friedman sent an email of condolence to Sam Haskell writing, "So sorry to hear almost Mary Ann Mobley." Sounds nice, right? Except the discipline line read: "It should have been Kate Shindle."
Haskell replied, "Thanks so much, Coach … fifty-fifty in my sadness, yous tin can brand me express joy … how was the Kennedy Center Honors? Love you and appreciate you! Sam." Friedman was a long-time screenwriter for the Kennedy Middle Honors and had earned 2 Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Writing for his work on them in 2010 and 2012.
Haskell & Visitor Grow More Petty
Sam Haskell and other board members for the Miss America Organisation continued to obsess over Mallory Hagan'south relationship with Brent Adams in 2015. On January 25, Lynn Weidner sent a photograph of Hagan with three other "formers" to Haskell. His response was, "OMG, she is huge … and gross … why does he want that?????"
He and then forwarded the electronic mail to futurity board COO and President Josh Randle and other MAO board members along with the comment, "Look at MH in this photograph … OMG … Why does he desire that?" Tammy Haddad replied, "Mallory is barely recognizable."
Sam Haskell, Slap-up or Victim?
By the end of 2015, Haskell was feeling "viciously and cruelly" attacked by Hagan on a daily basis and wrote an email to Haddad, Weidner and others asking for assistance. Haddad replied, "I am so sorry. It is ridiculous, but she is non going to stop. She has no control. I think you should rent an investigator to go something on her."
Haskell responded, "Threatening her won't work, and we already take 'enough info on her' to shut downwardly Ft. Knox … I actually think the best way is to shut down her social media and convince the Formers to ostracize her."
Weidner Incriminates Herself in a Demolition Plot
While it is unclear how Mallory Hagan was allegedly attacking Sam Haskell, Tammy Haddad called them "inflammatory character attacks." Lynn Weidner referenced cyberbullying in her December email response to the group.
"I wish I had an easy respond to this dilemma. If we tin evidence a directly connectedness between MH and specific instances of cyberbullying, we could at to the lowest degree threaten her with a lawsuit, right? I do believe that our anti-coaching initiatives are already impacting her business and that our policy of ignoring her is driving her crazy!"
Ending Hagan'south Career
Information technology appears that the national Miss America Organization established a policy against the utilise of coaches to directly target Hagan'due south business concern. After her reign, Hagan was working in New York as a pageant coach for the interview portion of the competition.
The national organization informed contestants that they would need approval from their local and state pageant directors to use a jitney. Those pageant directors were and so given an informal list of banned coaches that included Mallory Hagan'south name on information technology. Earlier long, her business stale upward, and she had to render home to Alabama.
Whistleblowers or Coup Strategists
In August 2017, former Haskell employee, Brent Adams, and former MAO board member, Regina Hopper, decided to arroyo Dick Clark Productions with the previously cited emails. Dick Clark Production execs, Amy Thurlow and Mark Bracco, who also held seats on the Miss America lath, met with the duo and thanked them for the emails and started their own investigation.
Thurlow and Bracco approached the board with the emails expecting decisive activity, merely they were met with ambivalence. Lewis Friedman remained the writer of the Miss America pageant telecast that September.
Failure to Deed
Instead of taking activity regarding the derogatory emails, the Miss America System had their law firm nowadays Brent Adams with a cease-and-desist alphabetic character: "Your deliberate deportment institute a clear violation of the Non-Disclosure Agreement yous knowingly and willfully entered into … the letter directed to the Chairman of the Board of Dick Clark Productions, dated September 13, 2017, noticed u.s.a. of your illegal disclosure of information, which includes several internal e-mail communications."
Refusing to exist silenced, Adams and Hopper decided to contact the media with their evidence. This led to the story breaking on HuffPost in December.
Dick Clark Productions Deals a Crippling Accident
Meanwhile, Dick Clark Productions was disgusted by the MAO board'south decision to support Haskell and Friedman and decided to end their agreement with the arrangement. In a argument issued to HuffPost, the company stated:
"Several months agone, Dick Clark Productions was made aware of a portion of the emails. We were appalled by their unacceptable content and insisted, in the strongest possible terms, that the Miss America System board of directors conduct a comprehensive investigation and take appropriate activity to address the situation. Shortly thereafter, we resigned our board positions and notified MAO that we were terminating our relationship with them."
The Blow Out and Backfire
In the aftermath of the leaked email scandal, Miss N Carolina 1991, Jennifer Vaden Barth, started a petition calling for the resignation of all board members involved in the bloodcurdling behavior. Mallory Hagan along with more than 40 former Miss Americas signed it.
Haskell was promptly placed on suspension pending an investigation, and within days, Haddad and Haskell resigned, effective immediately. Josh Randle and Lynn Weidner voluntarily resigned from their positions as President and Chairman, respectively, merely agreed to remain for up to 90 days to assist with the leadership transition.
Haskell's Last Defense
Haskell defended himself: "Much of what was reported is dishonest, deceptive and despicable. The material is based on private emails that were stolen … The story is so unkind and untrue and hurts me, my family and the stewardship of this non-profit. I was nether stress from a total year of attacks by two Miss Americas…"
"This was not the CEO of an organisation laughing at inappropriate jokes. This was a father whose family unit was being attacked, and a man whose graphic symbol was being assassinated daily, and that impaired my judgment when responding to the inappropriate emails. For that, I deeply apologize."
Caressa Cameron Speaks Out
Former Miss Americas, such as Caressa Cameron who was crowned in 2010, noted that the organisation'south problems were a lack of respect and leadership and non linguistic communication. Cameron revealed that just 30 days into her reign, she experienced bug with Haskell.
When she wanted to invite her previous motorbus to her homecoming party, she recalled, "Sam Haskell said I was non to invite her. She could not come up. He basically threw a temper tantrum, and and then he didn't come." She was as well prevented from participating in events related to her HIV/AIDS prevention platform.
Gretchen Carlson Seizes an Opportunity
Amongst the near vocal of the former Miss Americas, Gretchen Carlson and Kate Shindle both made themselves targets of Haskell and company's attacks. Both took to Twitter to telephone call for a "thorough housecleaning of the board."
A growing consensus wanted Carlson and Shindle to take the captain and run the MAO. Carlson was elected Chairwoman of the Board of Directors on Jan one, 2018. Former titleholders filled the remaining lath openings on an interim ground while Carlson was supposed to carry a national search for the new CEO.
Regina Hopper Gets Her Manner
On May 17, 2018, a new class of scandal hit when Gretchen Carlson installed Regina Hopper, one of the e-mail whistleblowers, every bit President and CEO of the Miss America Organization. State organizations and former Miss Americas were upset that a national search had not been conducted, as Gretchen promised. In effect, a leadership coup had occurred within the organisation.
As part of the restructuring, Carlson pushed for a Miss America two.0 that would no longer be a pageant simply a scholarship "competition," featuring "candidates" instead of contestants. She also removed the swimsuit competition from the program.
Pushing People Out
Well-nigh half of the nine-person MAO board was pushed to resign after fewer than six months in the position. Former winners Kate Shindle and Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss resigned in June, citing "toxic culture" equally the reason behind their deviation.
The previously signed resignation letters from their acting roles were used against Former Miss North Carolina, Jennifer Vaden Barth, and Former Miss Maine, Valerie Crooker Clemens, to force their resignations. They reported to The Wall Street Journal that Carlson issued a letter stating they were trying to gain control of the system in society to force them out.
The Bikini Has to Get
While the swimsuit competition had long been a sticking point for pageant protestors, many felt that removing it in light of the #MeToo motion was a cop-out. Miss Due south Carolina 2011, who has recovered from an eating disorder she developed during her competition days, said:
"I recall the Miss America Organization could have washed something a footling flake unlike and embraced people of all shapes and sizes. To me, taking information technology away completely says, 'If you're not that size, you don't belong in a swimsuit.' We have to modify people's mindsets and let them know women are beautiful at all shapes and sizes."
A Scholarship Contest Without Scholarship Funds
In the weeks leading up to Miss America 2019 (held in September 2018), Miss America 1991, Marjorie Vincent Tripp, resigned equally caput of the Miss America Foundation. In function, she made the conclusion considering she claimed the scholarship money awarded to Miss America was the foundation's responsibility.
The trouble with that is 15 state directors reported their winners were refusing to sign the competition contract because of the clause that says scholarship money is "contingent upon availability of funds in whatsoever given yr." Miss America 1984, Suzette Charles, said, "It's a joke. You lot tin can continue any game show and win more than than what Miss America is offer."
Cara Mund'south Sideslip of the Natural language
In July, Miss America 2018, Cara Mund, fabricated a comment at a New Jersey Dairy Queen advent: "It's been a tough year. There accept been a lot of things I can't command. It has felt similar I wasn't always heard or utilized or appreciated."
She claims she was notified within 72 hours of her penalization for speaking out. "I was told my final farewell as Miss America would be cutting to a total of 30 seconds for the national telecast." She went on to write a letter revealing the torment and bullying she suffered at the easily of Carlson, Hopper and Adams.
Cara Peels Back the Drapery
In her letter of the alphabet to past contestants, Cara Mund asserted that "new leadership delivered an important bulletin. There will be just one Miss America at a time, and she isn't me." Instead, Gretchen Carlson would exist the focus of all Mund's public talking points, including the merits that the "#MeToo movement started with Carlson's lawsuit."
The movement really started with Tarana Burke in 2006 and was additional to viral status in 2017 by Alyssa Milano. Past the stop of her reign, Mund was only allowed to post on her ain personal social media sites. MAO posted for her on all Miss America accounts.
Blaming the Victim
The arrangement responded to Mund'due south claims past proverb she had opportunities to give her stance and manage her own social media accounts. However, they as well issued the statement, "It is disappointing that she chose to air her grievances publicly, not privately."
In a Twitter response, Carlson denied the accusations of bullying and blamed Mund's letter for costing the organization a $75,000 scholarship. An independent external review attributed "miscommunications and mixed messages" as the heart of the issues betwixt Mund and MAO: "Communications surrounding branding, clothing and appearance were less than clear and created confusion and frustration."
The States Raise Objections
Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, along with xix other state pageant organizations, called for the resignations of Regina Hopper and Gretchen Carlson besides as the entire board in a vote of "no confidence" for "lack of transparency and adherence to best practices."
Amidst their allegations were claims that leadership lied when they said ABC would not telecast the contest unless the swimsuit program was eliminated. State directors also objected to the contract clause that gave Hopper the unilateral right to "crusade any state titleholder to forfeit her country title" without due process or the right to entreatment.
Ruling with an Iron Fist
With the revolt of state organizations and a GoFundMe page started by Jennifer Vaden Barth to raise funds to legally replace the board, the Miss America Organisation took decisive action, retaliating in a shocking fashion past swiftly terminating the licenses of 7 states.
The states cutting off included Georgia, New Jersey, New York and Tennessee. The terminations required them to supervene upon their current leadership and turn scholarship bank accounts over to the Miss America Organization. They as well began threatening xv other country organizations with probation and were quick to praise the states that were all the same supporting the current MAO leadership.
Doubling Down on Poor Discussion Choices
A September 2019 press release for a new scholarship doubled-down on the swimsuit controversy by stating, "In reaching out to the Miss America Organisation, the donor fabricated articulate the of import reason for the generous gift. As a young woman who wanted to compete in a local Miss America competition in the 1980s, she was discouraged by her parents considering they believed 'Miss America does not look like u.s.a., and an educated adult female does not parade effectually in a swimsuit.'"
Cara Mund responded via Instagram, "Female empowerment doesn't mean insulting, alienating and discrediting the thousands of women who paved the way." Bite the paw that feeds you much, Cara?
Gretchen Carlson Resigns
After securing a new network partnership with NBC, Gretchen Carlson resigned from her position as lath chairwoman in June 2019. She stated, "The time is ideal to give new leadership the opportunity to move frontwards with what has been accomplished."
Carlson was replaced by former South Dakota secretary of state Shantel Krebs with chaser Brenda Keith serving as vice-chair. Later instituting new leadership in the terminated state organizations, all fifty states, plus D.C., were eligible to compete in the 2020 competition on December 19, 2019. The swimsuit and evening gown portions of the upshot are still not function of the competition.
