Miss America has lost its TV partner following troubling emails allegedly written by the pageant organization's CEO,???.?????.?????.???? Sam Haskell.
The leaked emails were published in the Huffington Poston Thursday, accusing Haskell and his colleagues of ridiculing past winners on their weight, sex lives, and using vulgar language to describe them.
SEE ALSO: Watch 11-year-old Meghan Markle protesting a sexist ad on TVAccording to the report, Haskell appeared to have a "special disdain" for 2013 winner Mallory Hagan, conversing with other Miss America Organization (MAO) colleagues about her weight and speculating about her sexual activity.
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Haskell is also accused of targeting former winners who criticized how the Miss America Organization was being run.
These include the shutting out of 1989 winner Gretchen Carlson, who served on the MAO board of directors and sought to modernize the pageant organisation.
Also targeted was 1998 winner Kate Shindle, who in her 2014 book questioned the MAO board's decision to pay Haskell a $500,000 consulting fee when the organisation was deep in the red.
Miss America 2013, Mallory Hagan, Miss Minnesota, Rebecca Yeh and Miss Oklahoma, Kelsey Griswold walk the runway at the 2014 Miss America News Competition on September 11, 2013 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Credit: Donald Kravitz/Getty Images Shindle didn't comment in the article, but issued a statement on Twitter in response to the claims, calling on the entire MAO board of directors to resign.
"Only then can the women of Miss America reclaim its rich history and catalyze what is a clearly necessary evolution," Shindle wrote.
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In light of the claims, Dick Clark Productions (DCP) said it has cut ties with the MAO.
"Several months ago, Dick Clark Productions was made aware of a portion of the emails that were referenced in the December 21 Huffington Postarticle," the statement via email reads.
"We were appalled by their unacceptable content and insisted, in the strongest possible terms, that the Miss America Organization (MAO) board of directors conduct a comprehensive investigation and take appropriate action to address the situation. Shortly thereafter, we resigned our board positions and notified MAO that we were terminating our relationship with them."
Former Miss America winners and contestants took to Twitter to voice their disgust and call on Haskell to resign.
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Mashablehas contacted the Miss America Organization for further comment.
UPDATE Dec. 22, 4:46 p.m. PT: The Miss America Organization board of directors voted to suspend Haskell as CEO Friday afternoon. An investigation will look into the "alleged inappropriate communications."
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