Major HFPA allies jump ship after latest crisis at Golden Globes Group – Deadline

UPDATED: Tuesday night, the fallout from recent controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association continued.

We can confirm from knowledgeable sources that Dr. Shaun Harper, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor, walked away from the Golden Globes organization earlier today, as first reported by THR. The USC professor was hired by the HFPA on March 9.

While the HFPA house of cards is further crumbling due to the group’s lack of black members and no real strategy for becoming more inclusive, long-standing PR firm Sunshine Sachs is working on its own exit strategy. “Working with them is really starting to hurt our larger business profile and we can’t get that from any customer,” an insider told Deadline of Sunshine Sach’s impending decision to stop representing HFPA. “We can’t work like that,” they added.

The company did not respond to comments, but we learn from another well-positioned source that Sunshine Sachs is “considering all options”. We hear it’s a matter of days, if not hours, for Sunshine Sachs to break with the stumbling HFPA org.

The news of Harper’s departure comes in the wake of wildly inappropriate email comments made by former HFPA president Phil Berk on Sunday. In his comments, Berk referred to Black Lives Matter as a “racist hate movement,” and also described movement co-founder Patrisse Cullors as “the self-proclaimed” trained Marxist. ” Dick Clark Productions owner MRC, Berk was kicked out of the organization for his use of racist rhetoric.

THR also reported that Judy Smith’s firm of Smith & Company also retired from the HFPA after being hired by the organization’s law firm Lathan & Watkins just over a month ago to provide advice. Deadline contacted Smith and received no response. We will update you when we do.

Today’s ray was just the latest controversy from the less than 90-member organization.

Leading up to the 78th Golden Globe Awards on February 28, it was revealed that the group has zero black individuals among its 87 voting members. A fact repeatedly mentioned to the Globes themselves that night, including vague promises from a trio of HFPA purchasers that they would fix the problem.

Subsequently, Time’s Up and more than 100 public relations firms threatened to end business with the group unless they make up for sweeping representation reforms. The HFPA pledged to take action by May 6. Harper’s departure today only increases the pressure on the group to make changes.