The NAB has announced actor Robert De Niro will not be in attendance at its Service to America Leadership Award ceremony, and 710 WOR host Mark Simone believes it’s the correct move.
“This event is proudly bipartisan, uniting those from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners,” the NAB said in a statement. “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 advocated for the imprisonment of former President Donald Trump outside of the New York courtroom he’s being tried in as part of the campaign of current President Joe Biden.
During The Mark Simone Show Thursday, the New York news/talk host said the organization deserves praise for stripping the actor of the award.
“Let’s congratulate, for real, the National Association of Broadcasters who put out this announcement today,” Simone said. “Good for them. The NAB is not a big Trump-supporting organization. They’re kind of liberal, the NAB. This is a liberal organization, canceling De Niro, trying to distance themselves now from De Niro. You’ll see more of that.”
