Just when you thought Alec Baldwin’s situation couldn’t get any worse… well, I suppose you can watch how the next chapter in his “parental alienation” saga unfolds tomorrow on national television.
Baldwin is set to appear on ABC’s “The View” Friday morning (in a pre-taped piece that was recorded yesterday).
Parts of the interview have been released to various media outlets and it shows the actor using the morning talk show as a venue to once again apologize for calling his 11-year-old daughter “a rude, thoughtless little pig.” But that’s old news. We’ve heard the actor’s public apology (or at least read a version of it on his website)—-that’s not what’s making headlines… at least not anymore.
In the interview with “The View” creator Barbara Walters, Baldwin says he asked NBC to let him out of his “30 Rock” contract so he can devote his time to the issue of “parental alienation.”
“If I never acted again I couldn’t care less,” Baldwin said in the pre-taped interview.
NBC, however, refused to let the actor out of his contract.
“Alec Baldwin remains an important part of ’30 Rock.’ We look forward to having him continue his role in the show,” NBC said in a statement Wednesday. (Note: the show has faced mediocre ratings, but was picked up for another season.)
The interview continues with Walters asking Baldwin why he would talk to his own flesh and blood in such an obnoxious way.
“You didn’t mean to say it to your child?” she said.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being frustrated or angry about something,” he replied. “It’s the way you do it, and as people often do in this world, I took it out on the wrong person because I’m unable, under the current dynamic, to address the other person.”
“I realize that was wrong,” Baldwin added.
“You said it to your daughter, but you meant it for your ex-wife?” Walters asked.
“Well, I think that goes without saying, quite frankly,” Baldwin said.
Come on! Could you possibly make your situation worse than it already is?
In most custody cases you will hear a judge say he or she is “acting in the best interest of the child.” How does going on national television and saying “Oh, I didn’t mean to be a jerk to my daughter, I meant to be a jerk to her mother,” help the situation? What judge is going to rationalize that an expletive-laced tirade was justified because Baldwin simply made the mistake of displacing his anger on his daughter? (Baldwin blames his former wife, actress Kim Basinger, for leaking the tape, which she denied.)
According to the partial transcript from “The View,” the actor says he will use this “unpleasant episode” to refocus his efforts on the problem of divorced parents and their children. Baldwin also revealed that he has a book coming out about divorce litigation, possibly this fall. (Nothing like using an interview to “apologize” for thoughtless behavior to plug your latest venture.)
Certain topics were not covered in the interview, including the statement made by Basinger’s camp that Baldwin is not allowed to contact his daughter until a judge re-examines the custody situation, which is scheduled to take place next month.
Also, according to news reports, Baldwin has just parted ways with his agents at a major Hollywood talent agency. The actor’s spokesperson told reporters Baldwin left Creative Artists Agency for “personal reasons.”
I will be interested to see “The View’s” interview in its entirety… it may shed more light on Baldwin’s actions. As it stands now it seems as though he is more sorry that he got caught than he is about unleashing furor on his daughter.
Has your opinion of Alec Baldwin changed since learning about his voicemail tirade?