Alec Baldwin’s MSNBC show ‘Up Late with Alec Baldwin’ suspended after actor’s comments
This has turned out to be quite a week for Alec Baldwin … and not in a good way. The former “30 Rock” star has gone through the emotional wringer thanks to a stalking case that saw a woman being found guilty for harassing him and invading his private life, and following that, he has had numerous run-ins with the paparazzi and claims of foul language being thrown at reports.
Thanks in part to all of this, MSNBC announced today that they have suspended the actor’s show “Up Late with Alec Baldwin” for two weeks. The program was supposed to air a new episode on Friday, but will now have to wait until Black Friday on November 29 to return to the air. The final tipping point for the network in making this decision may have been allegations that Baldwin used a derogatory slur in a video that was posted by TMZ. Claims of the actual language used in the video have been disputed.
In a statement today discussing the suspension, Baldwin offered up an apology for some of his actions and promised to show better behavior in the future:
“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. 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.”
Probably the biggest surprises here are that Baldwin has now learned some of these lessons earlier, given that he has had many outbursts while trying to stand up for his wife and family in the past. Also, we’re somewhat surprised that he still has a job at all. This has always been the issue with Baldwin; he’s a supreme talent and a great interview, but his actions off-camera have often been troublesome for the very people that hired him.
What do you think: Is suspending Alec the right move, or should this have been a full-on firing? Be sure to share your thoughts below.
Photo: MSNBC