Over time, the reputation of the prestigious award ceremony has been tarnished by a number of scandals that sometimes arose with the rise of social awareness in this modern society.
- March 14, 2021
AceShowbiz - When Deborah Dugan filed a complaint against the Academy, she also accused the organization of sexual harassment and covering up rape allegations against her predecessor Neil Portnow. She additionally claimed she was sexually harassed by general counsel Joel Katz, a powerful lawyer in the music industry who served as the academy's general counsel, during a one-on-one dinner at a Ritz Carlton hotel in the city of Laguna Niguel, which Katz later denied.
Dugan, who was the first female president of the organization, likened the Academy to people who defend disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein, who have been accused of sexual abuse by multiple women. This led to several artists supporting Dugan, with Taylor Swift canceling her supposed surprise performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. Public Enemy's Chuck D also blasted the Academy, claiming that Dugan was punished for attempting to bring change to the organization.
