Sacked Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan sues Recording Academy, says was ousted for uncovering 'Boys' Club'

In response to ousted Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan’s request last week to be released from the arbitration agreement she signed when she took the job, the Academy has agreed to have the dispute heard publicly — however, that agreement is not as liberating as it at first sounds.

Dugan was placed on administrative leave earlier this month

Deborah Dugan, 61, the former CEO of The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, got a lot of attention this week when she spoke out against the organization and her predecessor, Neil Portnow, after she was put on leave from her job due to claims she bullied an assistant who worked for her. The successful businesswoman filed a 44 page complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Jan.

Days before the biggest music night commences, the Grammys 2020 is already surrounded by a set of controversies. For the unversed, the Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan was sacked just a few weeks ago before the annual awards show.

Following ousted Recording Academy president/CEO Deborah Dugan’s accusations the organization’s voting procedures are “corrupt,” the organization's board chair and acting CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and chief awards office Bill Freimuth have released a statement ahead of Sunday’s Grammy Awards.

By Erik Pedersen

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.

By Dade Hayes

Neil Portnow, the former chief of the Recording Academy, has been accused of raping a female artist by his successor, Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan, who was placed on an administrative leave days ago.

She was dismissed for apparent "misconduct" last week

Deborah Dugan, the former National Academy of Recording Arts president and CEO who was ousted from her job earlier this week, has alleged that the Recording Academy and its flagship event the Grammy Awards are rife with deep-seated issues, including corruption, covered-up instances of rape and sexual misconduct, and an overwhelming “boys club” mentality.

In May 2018, after Neil Portnow said that women needed to “step up,” the longtime head of the Grammys found himself out of a job. Six months ago, Deborah Dugan—the former CEO of (RED)—was brought on to replace him. That tenure lasted until last week, when she was ousted and put on “administrative leave” under unclear circumstances involving an undisclosed allegation of misconduct.

Recording Academy CEO/president Deborah Dugan sent a memo on Dec. 23, 2019, to Shonda Grant, the organization’s managi

The ousted Grammys CEO fired back at the Recording Academy on Tuesday, alleging that she was removed after complaining about sexual harassment and pay disparities and for calling out conflicts of interest in the nomination process for music's most prestigious awards.

Recording Academy president/CEO Deborah Dugan filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Tuesday (Jan. 21), after she was placed on administrative leave on Jan.

By David Robb

On Jan. 10, six days before Recording Academy CEO/president Deborah Dugan was placed on administrative leave, she asked for a $22 million settlement, the Recording Academy tells Billboard.

Deborah Dugan has added experienced New York employment litigator Douglas Wigdor to her legal team, Billboard has confirmed. Wigdor declined to elaborate on any litigation plans. 

By Anita Bennett