Alec Baldwin Vs Twitchy

Twitchy writes: "Let’s talk repulsive. Nearly three years after Andrew Breitbart’s tragic death, Alec Baldwin’s still lashing out at the amazing and brilliant man he could never hope to be."

Taiwanese Animators On Alec Baldwin

Whoa.

MANHATTAN: Alec Baldwin Arrested For Biking Wrong Way On Fifth Avenue

CNN has the story:

Actor Alec Baldwin was arrested Tuesday and issued two summonses -- one for disorderly conduct -- after riding a bicycle the wrong way on a New York street, police said. The "30 Rock" star allegedly became angry and started yelling at police after they asked him for identification to give him a summons, police said. The other summons was for riding a bike against the flow of traffic. Baldwin is to appear in court July 24. "Police stated that he got belligerent and started arguing with them and using profanity," Deputy Chief Kim Y. Royster said. Baldwin was not carrying identification and police took him into custody, police said. The actor reportedly became angry at the officers, yelling "Give me the summons already," a law enforcement official said.

Once at the police station, Baldwin reportedly pulled the "Don't you know who I am?" bit. He was released shortly afterwards.

TRAILER: Compared To What: The Improbable Journey Of Barney Frank

Open this weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival. Executive producer: Alec Baldwin. Variety has the story:

When husband-and-wife directing team Sheila Canavan and Michael Chandler approached Barney Frank about making a documentary, their pitch sounded lighthearted. In late 2011, Frank was preparing to retire from his Massachusetts seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, after a 40-year career in public office. “It was going to be a nostalgic look and what it’s like making the transition,” says Frank, 74, on a recent phone call from Maine where he spends a fair portion of his time now. But after collecting more than 100 hours of interviews, Frank recalls, “they decided they wanted to do more of my career.” The movie follows Frank’s journey as the first congressman to voluntarily come out of the closet in 1987 and it bookends that history with the summer 2012 wedding to Jim Ready (when the cameras trailed along at the tearful reception). “I regretted not coming out earlier,” Frank says. “My life was considerably improved when I wasn’t hiding things. Plus, I think it had a good political effect on prejudice.”

Alec Baldwin: Goodbye, Public Life

"I’ve had a relatively charmed life. I loved to be out in the city. New York was my town. I’ve had people come up to me and say, 'You’re a great New Yorker. You’ve given your time and money to so many New York charities. You’re a great supporter of the arts. I like some of your movies—and some of your movies suck, actually.' (It’s New York, so people give you their unvarnished opinion.) But people in general had been very kind to me for years. And then, last November, everything changed.

"Am I a homophobe? Look, I work in show business. I am awash in gay people, as colleagues and as friends. I’m doing Rock of Ages one day, making out with Russell Brand. Soon after that, I’m advocating with Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Cynthia Nixon for marriage equality. I’m officiating at a gay friend’s wedding. I’m not a homophobic person at all. But this is how the world now sees me. I haven’t changed, but public life has. [snip] I’m aware that it’s ironic that I’m making this case in the media—but this is the last time I’m going to talk about my personal life in an American publication ever again." - Alec Baldwin, in a lengthy piece written for New York Magazine that dwells heavily on the infamous incident with a TMZ reporter. 

Alec Baldwin Blames Firing On GLAAD And Andrew Sulllivan (Plus Himself)

"Martin Bashir's on the air, and he made his comment on the air! I dispute half the comment I made If I called him 'cocksucking maggot' or a 'cocksucking motherfucker'... 'faggot' is not the word that came out of my mouth. That I know. But you've got the fundamentalist wing of gay advocacy— Rich Ferraro and Andrew Sullivan—they're out there, they've got you. Rich Ferraro, this is probably one of his greatest triumphs. They killed my show. And I have to take some responsibility for that myself." - Alec Baldwin, speaking to Gothamist.

GLAAD Vice President Rich Ferraro emails us: "I consider GLAAD's campaigns to end the Boy Scout of America's ban on gay scouts, raise national visibility of the violence and inequality facing transgender people, and battling for marriage equality to be among my 'greatest triumphs.' But if a teacher, coach, local radio show host, or parent realizes that anti-LGBT slurs are outdated and unacceptable because of this Baldwin issue, I guess we'll call it a win. Alec Baldwin's team has not been open to turning this incident into an opportunity for public education and that's unfortunate."

MSNBC Fires Alec Baldwin

Above is the spin from the right-wing New York Post. A spokesman for Baldwin confirms the story but "quibbles" with the word "fired." (Tipped by JMG reader Todd)

Quote Of The Day - Alec Baldwin

"I've loved men in my life. There are some men I've loved in my life as much, if not more, than the women in my life. I don't have a sexual preference for men ... but I've loved men.  I've been in love with about three or four men, as much, if not more, than any woman I've loved. I don't wanna have a sexual relationship with them." - Alec Baldwin, speaking last night on what some are calling his "apology tour."

CNN Panel On The N-Word & F-Word

Mediaite's Josh Feldman recaps the show:

They first tackled the n-word, with Don Lemon saying “you shouldn’t use that word like a pronoun” and Charles Blow admitting his conflicting feelings on the use of that particular word, even when used among young black youths. Lemon pointed out that it’s not just black youths, but also young white people who feel it’s okay to use that word. As for Baldwin, HuffPost’s Noah Michaelson argued Baldwin’s not necessarily homophobic, but then questioned why Baldwin’s mind automatically jumps to that word when he’s trying to insult someone. Morgan admitted in the second segment he wasn’t aware that “cocksucking” was an anti-gay phrase to begin with. He asked why gay men would want to use a phrase that’s been used to denigrate them. Michaelson said it’s about “reclaiming language,” while Lemon admitted that the word does not offend him because “if that’s the first and last thing that you can reach, then I’ve already won the argument.”

Advisory: No words are bleeped. You might want headphones if you're at work. It's a longish clip, but worth your time.

Natalie Maines On "Cocksucker"

She got some blowback (ahem) from her followers, but she made it clear that she was kidding.

Ann Coulter Defends Alec Baldwin

"They shouldn't have suspended him. In defense of Alec Baldwin, the photographer, he's not actually gay. This was just a curse word. It was like using the f-word and, frankly, a lot of these paparazzi photographers deserve it. It's not something Alec Baldwin said in a calm moment on television. He has been harassed horribly by photographers and now this stalker, and he's trying to protect his family and he curses. That is what happened." - Ann Coulter, speaking yesterday on right wing radio.

NEW YORK CITY: Paparazzo Offers To Box Baldwin, Donate Proceeds To GLAAD

A New York City photographer who claims to have been shoved by Alec Baldwin is offering to meet the hot-headed actor in a boxing ring with the proceeds from the bout to go to GLAAD. Yesterday he wrote a column for the New York Post. An excerpt:

This reporter got up close and apparently way too personal for the Bloviator outside his East Village home on Friday — and the big mouth roared. His chubby face contorted with rage, Baldwin bellowed at me to back away and then charged like a bull, pushing me into a parked car. just let him blow off steam. Alec could have found out I have fists of fury — and was once a professional boxer trained by Frazier himself with three first-round knockouts in nine fights. I could have sprayed his teeth from the Bowery to the Battery, but I kept my cool. I didn’t snap when he slapped my cellphone to the street. I didn’t crack his glass jaw when he shoved me with his right hand into the back of a parked car.

The photographer claims that during the dust-up Baldwin called him fat and middle-aged.

Alec Baldwin Issues "Clarifications"

"I think it is important to note, in light of recent events, a couple of clarifications. One is that I never used the word faggot in the tape recording being offered as evidence against me. What word is said right after the other choice word I use is unclear. But I can assure you, with complete confidence, that a direct homophobic slur (or indirect one for that matter) is not spoken. In the wake of referring to a tabloid 'journalist' as a toxic queen, I would never allow myself to make that mistake again, nor would I expose my wife and family to the attendant ridicule. My friends who happen to be gay are baffled by this. They see me as one who has recently fought for marriage equality and has been a supporter of gay rights for many years. Now, the charge of being a 'homophobic bigot,' to quote one crusader in the gay community, is affixed.

"Another issue I want to address is the decision by MSNBC to suspend my show. Whether the show comes back at all is at issue right now. [snip] I have been a fan of MSNBC for some time. Its left-leaning tone never bothered me. I still believe that they are more enamored of and devoted to the truth in any single hour than Fox is all year long. I think Rachel Maddow is perhaps the single most important television journalist on the air today. And if my show does disappear, I will be grateful in so far as her good work, along with that of O'Donnell and Hayes and Sharpton and Matthews and Jansing, will not be sullied by my problem." - Alec Baldwin, writing today for the Huffington Post.

MSNBC Suspends Alec Baldwin

MSNBC tonight announced that Alec Baldwin has been suspended for two weeks in the wake of his latest anti-gay outburst. Via the Hollywood Reporter:

The announcement Friday followed the controversial actions of the 30 Rock star over the past several days. Up Late With Alec Baldwin had premiered only a month ago, on October 11. "I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have -- and for that I am deeply sorry," Baldwin said in a statement. "Words are important. I understand that and will choose mine with great care going forward. What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support. I understand Up Late will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week."

RELATED: Virulently anti-gay sites like Breitbart have been hypocritically condemning MSNBC for not immediately acting on Baldwin's latest slurs. Now, of course, they'll scream that he got off with a slap on the wrist. Because they are the noble defenders of gay people.

UPDATE: GLAAD reacts via press release.

"Alec Baldwin still needs to take real action. MSNBC has sent a message that anti-gay slurs carry consequences, and that's an important standard to uphold at a time when LGBT people continue to face disproportionate levels of bullying and violence just because of who they are." The announcement came following the release of a tape yesterday in which Baldwin is allegedly heard calling a photographer a 'c*cksucking fag.' GLAAD responded to media outlets about the incident: "Mr. Baldwin can’t lend his support for equality on paper, while degrading gay people in practice. It’s clearly time he listens to the calls from so many LGBT people and allies to end this pattern of anti-gay slurs.”

Anderson Cooper Vs Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin Flap Rolls On

TMZ, which is owned by a gay man, really has it out for Baldwin this time. (Tipped by JMG reader Alison)

Sullivan On Baldwin

"Just as Mel Gibson revealed his true feelings about Jews in his drunken rant, so Baldwin keeps revealing his own anti-gay bigotry. These outbursts reveal who he actually is. I should add that this is a free country and he has an inviolable right to use these words. But he has no right to pretend in any way to be a tolerant liberal when he is anything but, when it comes to gay people. So many liberals, of course, give him a pass when they would never dream of doing so with anyone who was conservative or Republican. Even after his bigotry was on full display, MSNBC hired him for a new show as a liberal pundit. For too many of them – especially gay establishment liberals, like the tools at GLAAD or the terminally naive like Hilary Rosen – there is a glaring double standard here. It seems to me that this double standard cannot stand any more. And this raging, violent bigot cannot be defended any longer." - Andrew Sullivan, writing for his blog.

Another Anti-Gay Slur From Alex Baldwin, Wingnuts Pounce On Social Media

GLAAD's Ross Murray reacts: "I don’t know what he’s thinking when he says what he says. I know he’s someone who has worked with us in the past. That’s why it gets hard when he comes back and does the same thing over and over again. We will have to take some time and think about how to respond." TMZ has the video.

UPDATE: Baldwin is denying he said "fag."

UPDATE II: We have another comment from GLAAD. "Mr. Baldwin can’t lend his support for equality on paper, while degrading gay people in practice. It's clearly time he listens to the calls from so many LGBT people and allies to end this pattern of anti-gay slurs." - Rich Ferraro, vice president of communications for GLAAD.

Teabagger Actually Makes A Funny

Congratulations to @ABFalecbaldwin on his new show, the only program where the host has a court order to stay 500 feet away from cameramen.
— Rep. Steve Stockman (@SteveWorks4You) September 26, 2013

REPORT: MSNBC Hires Alec Baldwin

Citing an anonymous source, Mediaite claims tonight that Alec Baldwin will host a weekly show on MSNBC.

According to our source, the so far untitled show will air Fridays at 10 p.m. ET and will feature a large dose of Baldwin’s outspoken liberal politics. The gig would make sense, considering Baldwin’s long history with the NBC family. He starred on the network’s award-winning sitcom 30 Rock for seven years, has frequently hosted Saturday Night Live, and hosted the network’s American airing of 2007′s Live Earth concert. Most important, Baldwin’s fiercely liberal and often combative political views make sense for a network that has become the place for progressive viewpoints on cable.

A spokesperson for MSNBC has refused to comment.