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Deborah Dugan, the ousted Grammys CEO who was placed on administrative leave last week, has said music's biggest awards are tainted because of conflicts of interest that infect how certain songs and artists are nominated.
Nevertheless, she said in an interview on ABC's “Good Morning America” on Thursday that she plans to watch the Grammys this weekend.
Dugan was fired only months into her job as head of the Recording Academy. This week filed an explosive complaint with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission that alleged she was sexually harassed and that the music organization was a “boy's club” that favors friends. The academy, which has accused Dugan of misconduct, has said it has launched an investigation.
Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan filed a complaint against her predecessor, Neil Portnow, alleging him of raping a female artist. Portnow responded denying the claims. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
The personnel allegations had largely overshadowed Dugan's charges about the integrity of the Grammys' awards process — a huge problem given that its annual ceremony is set to be televised on CBS in three days.
“The system should be transparent and there are incidents of conflicts of interest that taint the results,” Dugan said on ABC.
Her complaint charged that a “secret committee” that decides who gets Grammy nominations consists of people with business and personal relationships with artists, and that they push their favorites ahead. The Grammy membership generally selects 20 potential nominees in categories and internal committees whittle those lists down to the five or seven eventual nominees.
GRAMMYS CEO DEBORAH DUGAN CLAIMS SHE WAS OUSTED AFTER REPORTING HARASSMENT
Neil Portnow responded to Dugan's claims made on Tuesday, claiming her allegations were false. (Getty)
She charged that an artist who was ranked 18th out of 20 in the initial song of the year process last year got a nomination and the artist was actually on the committee that decided the nominees. The same artist, who Dugan did not identify, is represented professionally by someone on the Recording Academy board.
Dugan suggested the conflict was behind two notable snubs in the category, of songs performed by Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran, although there has been some question about whether Grande had submitted her indelible hit, “Thank U, Next,” for the award.
Brandi Carlile, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga were among the nominees for this award, which was won by “This is America,” performed by Childish Gambino.
GRAMMYS EMPLOYEE SLAMS OUSTED CEO'S CLAIMS, CALLS THEM 'REGRETTABLE', 'INEXCUSABLE'
Dugan was the Grammys' first-ever female CEO before her sudden administrative leave. (Amy Sussman/Invision/AP)
In the category of jazz vocals, Dugan alleged that an artist nominated for an award participated in the nomination process. Again, she did not name the artist involved.
Overall, she said some 30 artists whose work was not chosen as a potential nominee by the Recording Academy membership were added to that list because they had personal or business relationships with people on the nomination committees or the Academy's board.
Dugan also said that nominations were handed out to songs or albums because the producer of the annual awards show wanted them to be performed on the show.
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Producer Ken Ehrlich did not answer a message seeking a response to Dugan's allegations.
Despite her charges, Dugan said she's watching Sunday because she worked very hard on the show and loves the artists who will be performing.
“I couldn't say more positive things about all of the nominations and everyone that performs,” she said. “Oh, my God, I hate that I'm in this situation because I'd much rather be talking about the artists and their music.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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