A broadcasters trade association is pulling a philanthropy award it had planned to give to Robert De Niro after the actor bashed former President Donald Trump on behalf of the Biden campaign earlier this week.
The National Association of Broadcasters has revoked its award and invitation to the Celebration of Service to America awards event to De Niro because the group thought his recent work and comments on behalf of the president’s re-election campaign would “create a distraction.”
The “Goodfellas” actor said Trump “could destroy the whole world” during a press conference Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump was being criminally tried.
“I don’t mean to scare you. No, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you,” De Niro, 80, said during the presser organized by President Biden’s camp. “If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.”
The Hollywood star also got into an expletive-laden shouting match with Trump supporters outside the courthouse, calling one heckler who accused him of being paid by the DNC a “f–king idiot.”
The remarks led the broadcasters group to drop the famous actor from its award recipients.
“While we strongly support the right of every American to exercise free speech and participate in civic engagement, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work that we were hoping to recognize,” said Alex Siciliano, NAB’s senior vice president of communications. “To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”
Siciliano’s statement also stressed that the event, which honors vital local journalism and public service of radio and TV stations, is “proudly bipartisan.”
“This event is proudly bipartisan, uniting those from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners,” he said.
“We look forward to a night of celebration honoring the exceptional work of broadcasters and our partners who make a difference in their communities every day.”
De Niro seemed unfazed after becoming uninvited
He told The Hill, which first reported on the rescinding, that he supports and appreciates the work of the NAB and wishes them well.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, hit back at De Niro following his Tuesday remarks.
“I never knew how small, both mentally and physically, Wacko Former Actor Robert De Niro was,” Trump railed in a Truth Social post.
