The Miss America pageant suspended its CEO on Friday after dozens of former beauty queens demanded he step down over leaked internal emails that contained misogynistic, fat- and slut-shaming language. The decision was announced in the face of mounting pressure in the media as the United States continues to grapple with a sexual harassment firestorm upending powerful men from Hollywood, to entertainment and politics.
"The Miss America Organization Board of Directors today voted to suspend Executive Chairman and CEO Sam Haskell," it said. "The board will be conducting an in-depth investigation into alleged inappropriate communications and the nature in which they were obtained."
HuffPost published leaked emails on Thursday that included a vulgarity to refer to past winners, former winners being routinely maligned, and the shaming of one over her weight and sex life, with Haskell calling her "a piece of trash."