NAB Cancels Prestigious Award for De Niro after Anti-Trump Tirade
In an unexpected turn of events, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has withdrawn the prestigious award initially meant for renowned actor Robert De Niro. The decision follows a public tirade by De Niro against former President Donald Trump. Standing outside the Manhattan courthouse amid Trump’s trial related to hush-money allegations, on behalf of President Biden’s campaign, De Niro lobbed accusations of Trump posing a ‘threat to our democracy’.
The actor’s provocative remarks included hypothetical scenarios of Trump resuming office and refusing to leave, becoming a ‘dictator for life’. De Niro wholeheartedly supported the Biden campaign’s aggressive anti-Trump approach, insisting on highlighting and reminding voters of what he considered the threat Trump posed.
The NAB, however, disagreed with this approach. The association had initially planned to present De Niro with their esteemed award the following week. However, his impassioned, politically charged discourse prompted them to reconsider.
An NAB representative commented on the situation, emphasizing the bipartisan nature of their event, recognizing the important work of local broadcasters and partners from all political leanings. The representative further affirmed their support for every American’s right to exercise free speech, but observed that De Niro’s public engagements had the potential for overshadowing the prime focus of the event—acknowledging philanthropic efforts.
The decision was taken in the best interests of the event’s main objective, to celebrate the service of the award winners. The NAB decided to subtract De Niro from the event’s proceedings, in an effort to keep the spotlight on the award recipient’s service contributions, rather than their political viewpoints.
Faux tough guy actor Robert De Niro got an earful from Trump supporters after an unhinged rant about how Trump, not Biden (who is prosecuting Trump), is a ‘threat to democracy.’ pic.twitter.com/fy0qTHQG8h
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) June 1, 2024
In response, De Niro shared a statement expressing his support for the NAB Leadership Foundation. He demonstrated gratitude for the Foundation’s previous efforts, additionally wishing them future success in their endeavours.
The NAB, as an organization, hosts many annual occasions and conferences, such as the largest congregation of worldwide professionals in media, entertainment, and technology, the NAB Show. It offers broadcasters the platform to network, learn about emerging technologies, dissect industry trends, and explore innovative business strategies, as reported by The Hill.
De Niro was initially chosen to receive the highly respected award from NAB, in light of his philanthropic work and public service. The recognition was planned to be awarded at the 2024 Celebration of Service to America Awards on June 4.
During the time of this incident, videos of De Niro engaging with numerous pro-Trump hecklers began trending on the internet. Meanwhile, Trump appeared to consolidate even more support from certain demographics following the Manhattan trial verdict.
34 counts related to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, prior to the 2016 election, saw Trump convicted. Yet, prominent figures from the fighting community, like UFC champions, expressed their support for the former President, in the wake of the controversial verdict.
UFC champ Michael Chandler made no secret of his stance, sharing photos with Trump on social media platform Instagram. He penned, ‘You’ve been in my corner, now I’m in yours,’ before publicly aligning himself with Trump.
Tito Ortiz, a retired UFC champion, also expressed support for Trump, with a stirring display of nationalism. He updated his X account profile picture, it showed him holding the American flag assertively, while sporting fight trunks reading ‘Trump 2024.’
Former boxing superstar Ryan Garcia also expressed his solidarity with Trump on the X platform. He shared a message assuring Trump, ‘If you are reading this, We are with you. Stay strong.’ This theme of the fighting community rallying behind Trump was emerging as a significant trend.
In a subsequent post, Garcia attached photos of himself and Trump, together. His caption was a confident prediction of Trump’s return, prefiguring him as the ‘new president.’ With unwavering faith, he assured his followers that Trump would get another tenure, encouraging them to ‘Just watch.’
The events involving De Niro and the NAB were engulfed in controversy, yet they clearly illustrated the enduring polarisation of political sentiments in the entertainment industry and beyond. As everyone awaits what’s next, one thing is certain: the stage is set for an intensely politically charged atmosphere in the coming months.