Miss America leadership steps down as controversy envelops the organization

The Washington Compost ^ | 2017-12-23 | Ellen McCarthy

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The top leaders of the Miss America Organization resigned Saturday after the revelation of emails in which previous pageant winners were disparaged and called crude names.

Sam Haskell stepped down as chief executive, and board chairman Lynn Weidner submitted her resignation, according to the organization, which puts on the annual pageant.

Update from the Board of Directors… pic.twitter.com/W8am9ii2fM

— Miss America Org (@MissAmericaOrg) December 23, 2017

Pageant President Josh Randle and Washington media maven Tammy Haddad, a board member, also resigned.

The resignations came after 49 former Miss America winners signed a petition asking for Haskell to step down after the publication Friday by HuffPost of emails sent between Haskell and organization staffers and board members that included sexist, insulting comments about former Miss Americas and laid bare deep dysfunction within the organization.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Id the Miss America Pageant going Tits-Up?

[ZULU]

Hope it’s goose is cooked. It has become a PC farce.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

It's a scholarship program, not a peep show!
 

[RhoTheta]

It's a scholarship program, not a peep show!

Sounds like Candice Bergen in "Miss Congeniality."

[shelterguy]

Its all about WORLD PEACE.

[cymbeline]

I’ve said this before. I don’t need the Miss America show. I just watch the news babes all over tv. Reporterettes and anchorettes as Rush calls them.

[dfwgator]

Reporterettes and anchorettes as Rush calls them.

"She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye"

[Gay State Conservative]

I'm about as far from being a "feminist" as you'll find in this country.But I was taught,mainly by my Dad,respect for women.And I'm lucky that the women surrounding me when I was a kid were fully worthy of respect.

Given all that I've always found the Miss America Pageant to be,at best,a bit silly and frivolous...if not a bit insulting.

Just sayin'...

[carmen2017]

The last show I watched the Winner was Bess Myerson.

[vetvetdoug]

Sam Haskell, meet the Spanish Inquisition. Phyllis George was a beauty and nice person altogether. She was a big sister to a friend of mine at the Xi Omega house at North Texas.