I couldn't believe it when I saw that Alec Baldwin blasting his 11-year-old daughter Ireland made my local news.
A tabloid trash story warranted time on the 10:00 p.m. broadcast.
Unbelievable.
While there are times I admit I enjoy Baldwin's work, his politics and irresponsible, ugly comments drive me nuts.
He has said truly awful, hate-filled things about the coutry and Republicans.
Some examples:
"If we were living in another country, what we, all of us together, would go down to Washington and stone Henry Hyde to death, stone him to death, stone him to death! Then we would go to their house and we'd kill the family, kill the children."
"Cheney is a terrorist. He terrorizes our enemies abroad and innocent citizens here at home indiscriminately. Who ever thought Harry Whittington would be the answer to America's prayers. Finally, someone who might get that lying, thieving Cheney into a courtroom to answer some direct questions."
"The leadership of the Republican Party are a bunch of sociopathic maniacs who have their lips super-glued to the ass of the conservative right."
Disgusting.
Yesterday, a Baldwin rant directed at his own daughter surfaced.
This one is very different from his other despicable statements. This was a PRIVATE message. Baldwin wasn't being interviewed. He wasn't speaking publicly, on the record.
Someone leaked a PRIVATE voicemail from Baldwin to his daughter.
Here's some of the no longer PRIVATE message:
BALDWIN: I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'm leaving this message with you to tell you, you have insulted me for the last time. You have insulted me! You don't have the brains or the decency as a human being. I don't give a (bleep) that you're 12-years-old or 11-years-old or that you're a child or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the (bleep) who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned. You have humiliated me for the last time with this phone. This (bleep) you pull on me with this (bleep) phone situation, that you would never dream of doing to your mother, and you do it to me constantly, and over and over again! I am going to get on a plane, and I am going to come out there for the day, and I'm going to straighten your (bleep) out when I see you! Do you understand me? I'm going to reeeeeally make sure you get it! So I'm going to get on a plane. I'm going to turn around and I'm going to come home. So you better be ready Friday the 20th to meet with me. So I'm going to let you know just how I feel about what a rude little pig you really are. You are a rude, thoughtless little pig!
To get the full effect of Baldwin's anger, listen here.
Disgusting. Really, really ugly.
Also--
Really, really disgusting that someone chose to leak that PRIVATE message from an obviously very angry father to his daughter.
I'm not making any excuses for Baldwin.
He was out of control when he left that voicemail.
It's a parent's job to be the authority and not lose control. The profanity and the degrading remarks that he tossed at his daughter are disturbing.
However, the reality is parents do get angry and they do say things to their children that they regret.
Also remember that this leaked PRIVATE message comes in the midst of a very messy custody battle between Baldwin and ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Baldwin has tried to explain himself.
"Although I have been told by numerous people not to worry too much, as all parents lose their patience with their kids, I am most saddened that this was released to the media because of what it does to a child," he wrote. "I'm sorry, as everyone who knows me is aware, for losing my temper with my child. I have been driven to the edge by parental alienation for many years now. You have to go through this to understand. (Although I hope you never do.) I am sorry for what happened. But I am equally sorry that a court order was violated, which had deliberately been put under seal in this case."
Is Baldwin making excuses?
Sure, but I think he has a right to defend himself. He has the right to give context to the message.
It's good that he accepts responsibility for losing his temper and apologizes.
The thing is the only person he really owes an apology is his daughter. No one else.
None of this should have been aired worldwide.
This was a PRIVATE message, not intended for public consumption.
I really feel sorry for the Baldwin/Basinger daughter.
Can you imagine having a rant from your parent belittling you being heard all over the world?
In a court proceeding over custody, this piece of tape should be heard.
NOT ON THE INTERNET.
What parent hasn't blown a gasket?
What child hasn't behaved inappropriately and treated a parent poorly?
Certainly, there are degrees of losing one's temper. Baldwin's parental skills can and should be debated in court by the parties involved in the custody case.
His PRIVATE words to his daughter should not be fodder for public debate.
The Washington Post is among the major media news outlets that see fit to comment.
Granted, Baldwin's message to his daughter is terrible.
However, getting lost in this story is the inexcusable behavior of the leaker of this message.
Did the individual or individuals responsible for its release take the daughter into consideration?
I don't think so. Perhaps Basinger got her daughter's OK to release it. Who knows?
The bottom line: Baldwin's privacy was violated.
There's a place for the audio to be heard -- in a courtroom determining custody.
NOT ON THE INTERNET.
I guess there is some poetic justice that a lib like Baldwin, outspoken critic of the PATRIOT Act, would be violated by someone other than the Bush administration.
I'm afraid for the world. I'm afraid these people [the Republicans] are going to pull this off again in November. I can't begin to tell you what will happen if they're re-elected. But after Jan. 1, wait 'til you see PATRIOT Act 2."
It turns out Baldwin was fearing the wrong people.
Unless, this is part of a vast Right-wing conspiracy.
Maybe Basinger and the custody fight had nothing to do with it at all. Maybe the government has been eavesdropping on Baldwin's private conversations and picked up the juicy message.
I suppose Baldwin could blame Bush. He always does.
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