The Grammys deny allegations that the nomination process is rigged.

With just a couple of days before the Grammys, “music’s biggest night” (their words), the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization in charge of the event, is dealing with the disaster wrought by their apparent treatment of its now-ex CEO, Deborah Dugan.

She not only claims that she was forced out by the old boys club after she tried to affect much-needed institutional change (you can read my summary of the situation here), but that the whole nomination process is rigged.

Gee, what a shock. Haven’t you watched the Grammys and wondered why so many featured performers on the broadcast end up winning? There was a specific charge about the 2019 Best Song category where a board member pushed a longshot to a finalist ahead of both Ed Sheeran and Ariana Grande. (Hmm. Who could that have been?)

The Grammy people did what you’d expect: They denied everything. Here’s the statement (via Variety):

“Spurious allegations claiming members or committees use our process to push forward nominations for artists they have relationships with are categorically false, misleading and wrong,” Chief Awards Officer Bill Freimuth wrote in a statement sent to Variety. “This process is strictly enforced with everyone involved and has no exceptions.”

Again, I ask the question: Will host Alicia Keys address the situation on the telecast?