The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said Tuesday that its former president Phil Berk has been removed from its membership list.
“Phil Berk is effective immediately, and is no longer a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” the HFPA board said in a recent statement.
NBC and the parent company of the Golden Globes producers both weighed in today on the latest embarrassment regarding the HFPA. It is about the bizarre email of Berk, a longtime member and former president, after membership on Sunday, calling Black Lives Matters a ‘racist hate movement’. The email is to the Los Angeles Times.
The HFPA, already caught up in controversy during its most recent Golden Globes cycle amid revelations that it has not had a black member for twenty years, distanced itself from the email Berk sent on Monday night.
“Since its inception, the HFPA has dedicated itself to bridging cultural connections and creating further understanding of different backgrounds through film and TV,” he said. ‘The views expressed in the article by Mr. Berk is expressed is that of the author of the article and does not reflect the views and values of the HFPA in any way. The HFPA condemns all forms of racism, discrimination and hate speech and finds such language and content unacceptable. ”
The group has already said it will reveal plans to address the issues on May 6.
A longtime HFPA member, born in South Africa, Berk served eight terms as president of the group, based in LA and working for entertainment publications in Malaysia and South Africa.