Robert De Niro is apparently no longer a good enough fella to receive an award for his philanthropy.
The National Association of Broadcasters’ Leadership Foundation rescinded a “Service to America Award” it was to give the actor next week after he stumped for President Joe Biden outside of Donald Trump’s trial, The Hill reported on Thursday.
“This event is proudly bipartisan, uniting those from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners,” a spokesperson said in a statement to the political outlet. “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. To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”
De Niro, a persistent Trump critic, appeared outside the courthouse where Trump was on trial this week in an event sponsored by the Biden campaign. He said Trump wanted to destroy New York City and the rest of the country. The “Raging Bull” star also narrated a new ad blitz about Trump’s threat to democracy.
De Niro, who has won two Oscars, didn’t sound too upset about being denied more accolades. This one was to honor his “charitable work and public service” at a Tuesday event in Washington.
“I support the work of the NAB Leadership Foundation and would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for what the Foundation has done and will continue to do for the good of us all, and I wish them well for their continued good work,” De Niro told The Hill in a statement.
The “Godfather” icon wasn’t about to let up on his opposition to Trump when the verdict came down. After the former president was convicted of concealing hush money payments to a porn star, the “Godfather” icon said, “Justice was served.”
HuffPost has reached out to the NAB for comment.
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