NBC “Condemns” Ex-HFPA Prexy Phil Berk’s Statement, Calls For Expulsion; MRC “Disgusted By …Racist Rhetoric” – Update

(UPDATED with MRC statement) NBC and the parent company of the Golden Globes producers have both weighed in on the latest embarrassing incident involving the Hollywood Foreign Press Association . This concerns the bizarre email from former president Phil Berk to membership referring to Black Lives Matters as a “racist hate movement”. Here goes:

NBC strongly condemns Phil Berk’s actions and is calling for his immediate expulsion. While we continue to await the details of HFPA’s upcoming plan for reform, swift action on this front is an essential element for NBC to move forward with the HFPA and the Golden Globes.

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Dick Clark Productions’ owner MRC sent out a longer statement Tuesday morning:

We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, artists, journalists and executives who have been hurt or overlooked by the HFPA. We are disgusted by the racist rhetoric disseminated by a member yesterday. We were encouraged by the very strong statements the HFPA previously made around improving their organization around issues of racial reform and equity. The actions and statements of this member are inconsistent with the direction that the HFPA has publicly said it has embarked upon. We are calling upon the HFPA to take quick and decisive action against this member. Earlier this year we laid out our expectations to the organization and have been working to influence and support the progress that so many of us want to see. While we remain hopeful that progress is being made and a clear actionable roadmap is unveiled, we are deeply disappointed by this latest development. We want to reiterate publicly that there must be meaningful change defined in the May 6th plan.

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