Phil Berk

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Phil Berk, who previously served eight terms as the president of Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has been kicked out of the organization following Black Lives Matter comments.

Apr 21, 2021

AceShowbiz –
The former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been forced to step down after referring to Black Lives Matters as a “racist hate movement” in a weekend email.

Phil Berk, a longtime member of the HFPA, has been expelled from the organisation behind the Golden Globes.

“Effective immediately, Phil Berk is no longer a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” a statement reads.

The association’s leaders also released a statement on Monday, which read, “Since its inception, the HFPA has dedicated itself to bridging cultural connections and creating further understanding of different backgrounds through film and TV.”

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“The views expressed in the (Los Angeles Times) article circulated by Mr. Berk are those of the author of the article and do not – in any way shape or form – reflect the views and values of the HFPA. The HFPA condemns all forms of racism, discrimination and hate speech and finds such language and content unacceptable.”

South Africa-born Berk previously served eight terms as the group’s president.

The email scandal came just a month after the organization vowed to have at least 13 black members by 2022. It was revealed the organization did not have any Black member in their current line-up of 87 journalists.

They stated, “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association reiterates that we are committed to making necessary changes within our organisation and in our industry as a whole. We also acknowledge that we should have done more, and sooner. As a demonstration of our commitment, the board has unanimously approved a plan to increase membership to a minimum of 100 members this year, with a requirement that at least 13 percent of the membership be Black journalists.”

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