Strollerderby : alec baldwin

Alec Baldwin's Love Letter to His Daughter

Madeline Holler — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:31:00 GMT

I flipped right to Caitlin Flanagan's "The Passion of Alec Baldwin" article in The Atlantic's May issue, hoping to read a little dish about the actor's famously leaked voicemail rant in which he calls his daughter "a rude, thoughtless little pig" and also to understand why Flanagan calls Baldwin's memoir, A Promise to Ourselves, a love letter to his daughter.

But the book doesn't dwell on the fun/crazy details of the episode, and so Flanagan's article can't either. However, in analyzing Baldwin, his divorce and his relationship with daughter Ireland, we get a little fun/crazy from Flanagan herself.

The first sign that we're going to plunge into deep and creepy psycho-analysis is her take on the famously leaked voicemail, which Baldwin left in a rage on his daughter's cell phone.

Flanagan breaks down the rant, concluding that, since Ireland is slender, the term "pig" comes off as "a particularly feminine kind of repulsiveness" ... "almost [a] sexual thing for a man to call his daughter."

Ew? But OK ... those crazy Basinger-Baldwins!

It's not just the Baldwins, though, it's us, it's Everyman -- every man who has a daughter, apparently. Flanagan writes of Baldwin's relationship with his daughter Ireland as a stand-in for all father-daughter relationships, which she defines as romantic. It just gets creepy.

From The Atlantic:

"A father-daughter relationship is a kind of romance ... one kept well in check by a variety of forces, not least of them the sexual flattening that prolonged domesticity does to all potentially erotic relationships. Dad doesn't get too excited by the sight of Mom in her shimmy anymore, for the same reason Buddy's never taken a hankering to Sissy: they've seen too much. It's not community censure that has kept incest in check all these centuries; it's stomach flu.

Furthermore, daughters are some kind of incarnation of the hot, sexy mama Daddy married in the first place. Daughters might as well be the sports car of a midlife crisis.

"In his daughter a father discovers a person whose very bloodline ensures that she will be charming to him: at the precise moment that his wife is fading into middle age, her beauty resurges in the daughter—there’s that unlined face you fell in love with so long ago!"

So things get complicated for daughters when their parents divorce, Flanagan argues. Ireland's (and every girl's whose parents are divorced?) real suffering comes in having "beguiled this powerful man" in a way her beautiful mother couldn't. Flanagan argues this not only makes Baldwin's daughter feel bad, it has also left her with no way to test the waters of romance without hurting her mother.

"Nor can she exalt in herself—as girls are wont to do—as the product of an epic love, because by now she has become the opposite: the animating force of a great enmity, the only reason these feuding adults are forced to contend with one another. And now, as she casts around in her girlish way for a model on which to shape her own dream of marriage and enduring love, she must look elsewhere."

Flanagan had a better model, she wants to say, however flawed it may have been. Her parents, though long since face-lined and unappealing in shimmies, honor the memory of a romantic flame with a yearly bottle of expensive perfume and periodic mention of handsomeness. Flanagan could apparently test the waters of romance, guilt-free (was the trip with her father to pick up perfume a date?). Does she also get expensive perfume for her birthday from her new daddy, uh, husband?

Flanagan has two sons, which I feel is fair to note because I have to wonder if she'd be so sure of the Baldwin-Basinger analysis if she had a daughter. Though she seems sure of her father-daughter relationship, so maybe this piece is less a love letter from Baldwin than a love letter to Mr. Flanagan, her father. In any case, as the mother of daughters -- and as a daughter myself -- Flanagan's Freudian take on "daddy's little girl" as a universal makes me want to rock myself in the corner.

Woman Gives Birth to Twins Minutes After a Heart Attack

Mattress Ad Features Homebirth

Stay-At-Home Moms are the Best, Aren't They!

They Say: Boy Births More Complicated

Bed Bugs are Crawling in a Home Near You

Image: The Atlantic

Crush of the Week: Mister Conductor, Shining Time Station

editors — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Whoever plays the uniformed, whistle-blowing magic train conductor in the Thomas series, and we're talking Ringo, George Carlin or (in The Great Discovery movie) young Alec Baldwin, is hot. Maybe it's the uniform, maybe it's the authority. Maybe it’s that the Conductor stands out as particularly alive because of the slightly terrifying wide-eyed animatronic trains.

And for that, he is our Crush of the Week --Ada Calhoun

Photo: Areavoices.com

Best of FameCrawler: Week of February 6th

Whit Honea — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Mark Wahlberg Plans a G-Rated Wedding

Mom Jeans - A Poll

Britney Threatens to Cancel Tour

Baby Bump Photo: Halle Berry Pregnant Again?

Nadya Suleman - Octuplet Mom Won't Receive Freebies

Christian Bale Shows Alec Baldwin What Angry Dads Really Sound Like

Alessanda Ambrosio Shares Her Motherhood Routine

TLC's Kate Gosselin Talks Octuplets Mom

A Baby For Demi and Ashton!

Sex and the City Star Welcomes Baby

Mother of Octuplets Mom Nadya Suleman Speaks Out

Morning News: Which Spice Girl is Sarah Palin?

Madeline Holler — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Alec Baldwin got the worst lines during the historic Sarah Palin appearance on SNL two weeks ago. Something about how good-looking she is in real life. We cringed.

He reasserted his biting comedic credibility last night on David Letterman (1) during his uncanny Palin impression and (2) his likening of Palin to a Spice Girl. (We won't spoil it and tell you which Spice ... just watch to the end.)

So Baldwin toughened up. But is Sarah Palin softening on opponent Barack Obama? Yesterday in Pennsyvlania, she called him "promising."

In other Daily Palin, guess who the actual, practicing "socialist" is. It's Sarah Palin! As governor, she presides over a state that has no income or sales tax, but is able to send each of its citizens a check for more than $3,000 annually. That money doesn't come from her wardrobe budget, it comes from oil company revenues. And it's mandated by law. AND! She raised the amount this past year to cover big jumps in home-heating costs. Someone gonna brief Joe the Plumber on that?

Speaking of Joe, where the hell was he when McCain gave him a shout-out at an Ohio rally yesterday? Dammit, Joe, you're just like that other one and turning out to be a real embarrassment!

Also, reality check on Palin's self-reported tight-fisted ways: She has a hometown friend helping her hold down the snow fort in Alaska while she's out on the road trying to get John McCain and herself elected. Palin pays this friend to keep the communication lines open between the governor and her staff in Juneau. But the extra expense doesn't come from RNC/wardrobe funds. No, Alaskans are subsidizing Palin's political aspirations and paying for this assistant's travel -- at about $1,000 per day.

Maybe Alaska and McCain would be better off if he just sent her home.

Not such great news for McCain if he's hoping the still undecided voters will put him over the top. This says that undecideds (and who ARE you?) kind of split down the middle once actually in the voting booth.

While Obama supporters worry of a Bradley effect (aka: I'm only a racist in the privacy of my mind and the voting booth), experts will also look out for the "bandwagon effect." This is where people just start voting for the guy who is ahead. (Again, who ARE these voters?)

What really matters, in the end, is voter turnout. So in states like Georgia, where McCain leads with likely voters (those who usually vote), Obama leads with registered voters (those who could turn out even for the first time ever).

Does this explain Hillary's loss in the primaries and Palin's instant popularity? Turns out, being pretty helps female candidates, while the only thing that matters for males is perceived competence.

Before you go adding links and leaving "tips" in the comments and warning us to look into this or that story about Obama (or McCain), scan this Politico piece because there's probably a reason the story hasn't stuck.

30 Rock Premiere Online A Week Early

Brett Singer — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

If you can't wait to see the season premiere of '30 Rock' -- well, you don't have to.

NBC has posted the entire episode online at Hulu.com. Actually, it's embedded in this web page. Right here. Who needs a TV?

Liz is trying to adopt, so the episode actually has a lot to do with parenting and stuff. Megan Mullally plays Bev, the woman from the adoption agency, and all sorts of weird crap happens when she comes to the office to see if Liz would make a good parent. (Will Arnett also guest stars. Every time he opens his mouth, it's funny.)

How is it? It's good. A few good lines:

"She touched me in my swimsuit area."
"Is it so wrong that I just want to have one of these to grow up and resent me?"
"I'm Fred, Rick is the other black guy."

For me, the weird thing about '30 Rock' is that I don't mind watching it on the computer. Obviously I watch all sorts of short clips on YouTube and everywhere else, but there's something about this show that lends itself to Internet viewing. Also, while every time I've watched '30 Rock' I enjoy it, I somehow don't feel compelled to ever watch it again. Then at some point, like now, I see another episode, and I like it. And, then it's forgotten again. I don't know why. I'm not the only one; despite the tremendous amount of media attention the show and Tina Fey have gotten, '30 Rock' is described as 'ratings challenged' even by Ms. Fey. Maybe this adoption storyline is going to heat up, and that'll draw people in. There's also that whole Sarah Palin impression that has helped Saturday Night Live get its highest ratings in a decade. Might be some spillover from that as well.

Anyway, Tina Fey is the new Empress of Show Business. You heard it here first.

Source: Hulu

Read more:

Breaking News: Maya Rudolph to Play Michelle Obama on SNL

Sarah Palin Offered to Babysit Tina Fey’s Toddler!

Will Ferrell Returns to SNL

Sarah Palin on SNL for Real

Best of FameCrawler: Week of October 24th

Whit Honea — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Lil' Wayne Welcomes Lil' Baby

Brad's Nearly Nudes Of Angelina

Alec Baldwin Praises Sarah Palin?

Is Someone Trying To Out Will Smith?

Obama Dances On Ellen

Jenny McCarthy: My Son Is Cured of Autism

Guess Who Is Having Twins?

Jennifer Aniston Pregnant with John Mayer's Baby!

Lil Wayne's Baby Mama Revealed & It's NOT Nivea!!!

Mark Wahlberg Threatens Andy Samberg, Also Talks to Animals (Video)

Morning News: Palin Gets the Viewers; Obama Gets the Voters!

Madeline Holler — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Big crowds this weekend, both at rallies and in front of the TV.

A record number of people -- 100,000 give or take -- showed up to see Barack Obama in St. Louis on Saturday. Later the same day, some 75,000 showed up to see him in Kansas City. To put this on context, the city of St. Louis and its county have a population of, like, one million. And the Kansas City metro area (which, sure, includes the part of the city that's in Kansas) is just under 2 million. The state of Missouri has 5.8 million. What we're trying to say is: that is a huge damn turnout, in a swing state, for Obama.

Sarah Palin also drew record crowds -- in front of the TV and streaming online video -- for her appearance on Saturday Night Live. Seventeen million viewers stayed up to watch the VP pick get ogled(Alec Baldwin)/imitated (Tina Fey)/dissed (awesome pregnant homegirl Amy Poehler)/skewered (the entire cast).

All this attention leads us to ask: is American really hungry for change, or just something fun to do on the weekends?

The New York Times is leading with a story that tries to piece together the health of all four candidates. McCain has been coy about releasing his medical records, something that became rather important when national government novice Sarah Palin was chosen as the back-up.

The article is a doozy and filled with melanoma this and skin lesion that a few kidney stones and high cholesterol (controlled by medication). As for the other top of a ticket, Obama, he's healthy but still somewhat of a smoker. Palin has yet to release anything and Biden's history includes a serious brain aneurysm from which he recovered.

In our Daily Palin, we have some some heavy New Yorker reading: how John McCain came to pick the Alaska governor for his running mate. Turns out, he wasn't being all that mavericky -- he was caving to pressure, again!

Also, what's the different between Sarah Palin and a Grizzly Bear? Nooooo, not lipstick.

Remember back in the day, when Sarah had just become a daily part of our lives, and Diddy/Sean Combs stated that there were no black people in Alaska? Well, there are. Just none in Sarah Palin's administration.

So we all know that General Colin Powell has endorsed Obama, and that's great for the Democratic ticket. But watch out! Because John McCain has finally gotten the conveted Katie Barberi nod. Barberi's a biggish name in telenovelas and currently stars in Telemundo's Dona Barbara. So, you know, good for you, John!

All this talk about ACORN and voter registration fraud and who got arrested? The owner of a firm the California GOP hired to register voters this year. Bummer, guys!

Oh, newsflash! Remember Joe McCarthy and blacklists and witchhunts and stuff? Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman wants to bring back the good ol' days of investigating leaders for un-American activity! So retro-politico-chic!

Proof that the world is nearing its end: Beverly Hills Chihuahua is still raking it in at the box office. (Come on, people, go to political rally instead!)

Powell Endorses Obama

The real Palin on SNL

Photo: WSJonline

Alec Baldwin: Good Dad or Man Doing Damage Control?

Jen Chaney — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Alec Baldwin is the new poster boy for divorced fatherhood. You may have read the recent New Yorker profile or seen his interview with Diane Sawyer on "20/20" or spotted this piece on Yahoo! Shine. If so, then you know the "30 Rock" star has written a new book, A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce, that explores his messy split from ex-wife Kim Basinger and its impact on his parenting.

Baldwin says he wants parents, especially fathers, to be aware of the perils of custody battles, divorce court and "Parental Alienation Syndrome," a psychological term that basically means turning a child against the parent who doesn't have custody. Of course, this is also the same guy who left that famous voice mail for daughter Ireland last year, the one where he referred to her as a "thoughtless little pig" because she wasn't answering his scheduled phone calls. He addresses that incident in the interviews as well as the book, and expresses regret about having used such language. And, while it still seems like an extreme reaction, I can understand his perspective a bit more after knowing the hoops the guy has been jumping through to maintain a relationship with his child.

So after having read or seen these interviews -- or perused this excerpt from his book -- do you now think Alec Baldwin is a solid father who has been misunderstood and unfairly characterized by the media? Or do you think he's just trying to rebuild his image in the wake of Voicemail Gate?

My sense is that he genuinely does want to do right by his daughter and that the voice mail was an unfortunate incident for which, seemingly, Ireland has granted him forgiveness.The one thing that gives me some pause, though, is that he wrote this book. Baldwin may genuinely feel that he is doing a service to other parents in the same situation. But if he really wants a normal, private relationship with his kid, I wonder whether it makes sense to delve into all these details in such a widely publicized manner. Undoubtedly there is some ego at work here, too. And when ego gets involved, sometimes it can be hard for any of us to objectively see whether our actions, including writing so publicly about a custody battle, are really the best thing for our children.

Image: Macmillan

10 Awesomely Bad Celebrity Dads

Cole Gamble — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Just in time for Father’s day, I am giving you dads out there the greatest present of all: I’m showing you how good a father you are by showcasing these famous dads who are totally worse.

Pete Doherty

If you are not familiar with this British rocker/cocaine enthusiast, meet Pete Doherty. Pete is known for two things: dating the elder statesman of super models, Kate Moss, and spending more time doing drugs than breathing. I could go on all day about what a stellar father Doherty makes, but why should I when, 1) this photo speaks volumes;

and 2) this quote from Pete himself speaking of the young son he has never seen does the job: “I’ve got two (children). Poor little fu%*er. My sister sees him all the time, so there’s affection as a family for him.” Somebody put that in a greeting card.

Alec Baldwin

I love Alec Baldwin. Actually for a long time I didn’t enjoy Alec Baldwin’s acting because it seemed to me stiff and pompous. Nothing has changed about his acting style, but now that Alec has determined he is a comedic actor, his stiff and pompous act totally works. A far as fatherhood, though, well, let us give a listen to a certain phone call Alec placed to his daughter.

Although I myself do not yet have a teenage daughter, I'll bet many father's get this pissed at their adolsecent kids. Which goes to prove the old adage, the only differnce between a good father and a bad ftaher is a tape recorder.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has been laying low for a while. Reeeeeeeal low. That’s good, because this is what he does when he addresses the public.

Michael Lohan

ME: Hey Michael Lohan, father of Lindsey Lohan, I’d like to include you in my article about terrible celebrity dads.”
Michael Lohan: “Alright.”
ME: “Listen, could you submit me a photo?”
ML: “Sure, here’s this.”

ME: “Um, you got anything that doesn’t have you in a wifebeater? Maybe something that doesn’t instantly peg you as a sleaze bag?”
ML: “But Cole, when I'm not in prison for securities fraud, I'm driving drunk. I did a lot of that while Lindsey was growing up and now that I have screwed her up and sent her into a downward spiral, I’m angling to see how much of what’s left of her diminishing fortune I can get my hands on. I am a sleaze bag.”
ME: “Point taken.”

David Hasselhoff

You don’t Hassle the Hoff. Like when he’s lying shirtless on the floor trying to negotiate a particularly wily hamburger. And you don’t tell him he’s got a drinking problem, even if you’re his kid. And you especially don't videotape the whole affair.

Darth Vader

Almost didn’t make this list. Darth did display a lot of bad dad behavior (chopping off your son’s hand usually piques the interest of CPS. Also not knowing you have a daughter is a red flag.) But in the end, you have to give Darth credit, he and Luke did bond in a nice father-son activity (killing the Emporer) and then spent some quality time in the hanger bay before old Darth turned into a ghost. If that’s not as good as playing a little catch with the kid, I don’t know what is.

Rick Hilton

Rick, I don’t know how to say this…do you exist? I have seen plenty of your daughter. Oh lordy, I have seen way too much of your daughter, but not so much of you. What magic spell will it take the cardboard cutout this picture reveals you to be and transform you into a living breathing person who, you know, parents his daughter?

George Foreman

How is George Foreman as a parent? I’m not sure but if you take a look at his kids’ names, you might get an idea of what his sole motivation for becoming a parent in the first place: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V and George VI George Travis Walls.
Why build statues of tribute to yourself when you can just have kids to live in your perpetual, egomanical shadow?

AND NUMBER 1:

Joe Simpson

Oh Joe Simpson, you silly, funny, incredibly creepy man. One might say that as a dad you are “too involved.” But I don’t think so. Is it strange to take semi-erotic publicity photos of your own child, like this one I can't show you because I would have to pay...you guessed it, Joe Simpson?

Is it beyond the pale to make regular references to your daughter’s ample assets? Like this:

“Jessica never tries to be sexy. … She just is sexy. If you put her in a T-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she’s sexy in both. She’s got double D’s! You can’t cover those suckers up!"

Oh Joe, you had me at, “You can’t cover those suckers up.” And if you prudes out there think there is something wrong with this manager father and the vested interest he has in the chest of his internationally renowned sexpot daughter, we’ll let said daughter put you at ease. From the mouth of Jessica:

No, I’ve had double D’s for a long time. Are you kidding? No. My family is extremely close. I talk to my mom about my sex life. That’s not something that creeps me out. We’re Podunk Southern. And my dad is very open about his ideas and…it’s disgusting that people would actually think…people are making a judgment on something that is false.

See? It’s not incestuous. It’s “Podunk southern.” Totally different.

To be fair, Joe's interest in his daughter's body is purely business. As her manager, Joe knows a great deal of Jessica's success is due to her body and that her body is, in fact, a product to be packaged and sold. Just like a pimp does.

Runners Up:
Tom Cruise – Sorry you didn’t make the main list. Hard to tell how bad a dad you are when no one sees your kid.
Woody Allen: Married his adopted daughter. ‘Nuff said.

And for some better celb dads, check out the 50 Coolest Celebrity Dads.

NBC Pulls '30 Rock' from Family Hour to protect our American way of life

Brett Singer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

In a move that defies all logic, NBC has moved Tina Fey's sitcom '30 Rock' from the 8pm-9pm "family hour" to Thursdays at 9:30pm (which I suppose is the "Manson Family Hour"). Why, you ask?

MILFs.

That's right, MILFs. More specifically, a reality show parody that was part of the episode aired on April 10. If you want to see what the fuss is about, you can watch the full episode - legally - at the end of this post. I just did, and it's reasonably amusing. It also did not, to the best of my knowledge, cause the downfall of Western civilization, or even a mild tumult in some kid's ant farm.

Despite the pullage, NBC is hardly backing away from all things MILFy, or at least all things MILF Islandy. For example, for a mere $24, you can buy a MILF Island t-shirt. It's also not the first time '30 Rock' has mentioned the faux reality series (that would be October of 2007), although it does seem to be the first time that large numbers of people noticed.

This site actually spins the story to imply that the 9:30pm time slot is "more prestigious" than 8:30pm. That sounds very Jack Donaghy to me.

In a Babble interview to promote the upcoming film 'Baby Mama', '30 Rock' creator Tina Fey said, "Often times in our writer's room I'll say, 'Oh, this is going to be on at 8:41 p.m. - lets back off of it a little bit.'" Amy Poehler, Fey's co-star in 'Baby Mama' who isn't involved with '30 Rock', said, "I love ruining family time." Sadly, she'll have to wait until the fall to do so; that's when NBC says '30 Rock' will go back to 8:30pm. Unless someone complains, in which case they'll take it off the air. (I'm kidding. But you never know.)

Here, watch it for yourself. Is this really so awful?

image: Wikipedia

Do Celeb Moms Get a Worse Rap Than Celeb Dads?

Kelly Mills — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:31:00 GMT

You know how all the news sources cover celebrity parenting like we'll just die if we don't know who held their baby over a pit of wild vipers and paparazzi and which celeb doesn't even know how to install a child safety seat? Well, when I saw this bit on how women celebs get more media focus for their antics than the dudes, I wondered if the same held true for celebrity parenting. After all, two of the examples given--Britney Spears and Heath Ledger--fit the parent bill as well. (And let me just say for the record that when the author of that bit says "It's time to bring some quality journalism attention to both sides of this equation and highlight these struggles before anyone else dies unexpectedly" I groan "Puhleeze". The media is gonna save lives by reporting early on the fact that so-and-so is depressed or a drug addict? Quick, get photos of him taking his anti-anxiety meds, before it's too late!)

I'm usually the first person to hammer about gender inequity, and how women often get flack for the same behaviors guys get a pass on. But in the case of many celebrities, I have to say that outlandishness trumps the male-female thing most often. Michael Jackson and Steve Irwin both received criticism for holding their babies in unsafe ways, and the Hoff was slammed when his kids videotaped him drunk. And who could forget Alec Baldwin's insane phone conversation with his child? I think Britney has gotten more crap than Heath Ledger ever did because she and her crew have always courted the tabloids. Now some sexist notions may still apply, like the fact that everyone questions Brit's custody issues while male stars may never even see their kids, but for the most part, I think star power and the perceived level of the crime against kids play a bigger role than whether the parent in question is mom or dad.

But please, tell me if I'm wrong, before I lose my women's studies badge.

Alec Baldwin to Write Book on Parenting. I'm Serious.

Kelly Mills — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:30:00 GMT

Everyone’s favorite daddy has big plans for the future. During his big damage control push over the voicemail tape (you know, calling his daughter a pig, threatening to get on a plane and straighten her out) Alec Baldwin told Babs, Rosie, and Co. on The View that he wants to write a book on the damage ~~having an asshole for a father~~ divorce does to children, and how dads get the shaft. In related news, Paris Hilton will be penning a book on the virtues of celibacy. Call me crazy, but if I was campaigning for fathers’ rights during divorce, I don’t think I’d want Baldwin to be the official spokesperson.

He went on so long about the book that Madame Walters had to remind him that his first priority should be repairing his relationship with his daughter. When Barbara Walters tries to get you to say the appropriate, sensitive thing, you know you’ve entered a special zone reserved for the insanely boorish.

Baldwin also took the opportunity to lay into his ex-wife, Kim Basinger. He only mentioned his poor child as an opening to spew more hate and to blow hard about his goal to be the next Dr. Spock. Right now some PR person is hurling coffee at their assistant and shopping online for muzzles.

Maybe I’ll buy a copy of the book and put it on the shelf next to the Joan Crawford book on positive discipline.

Alec Baldwin Just Wont Quit, Screams at Dora

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:10:00 GMT

Now Alec Baldwin is royally pissed at Dora. Yelling at your daughter on voicemail? That I can understand. Sure, she's only 11, but she should really be more considerate. Parental alienation is no laughing matter.

But yelling at beloved Dora the Explorer? Now I fear Baldwin has gone too far.

[via Daddy Types]

Alec Baldwin to Publicly Apologize to His Daughter Today

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:02:00 GMT

By the time you read this—depending on where you live—Alec Baldwin may or may not have walked the gauntlet on the View to apologize to his daughter for calling her "a pig."

Baldwin and his PR team have been working at carefully coordinated public acts of self-flagellation which began when he apologized for being an ass on his website and left his guest book wide open for people to concur. Then we moved on to his consultation with Dr. Phil which was "far-reaching." Oh, and by the way, Dr. Phil was allowed to talk about it with Larry King.

Next, Alec symbolically threw himself on the sword asking NBC to cut him from 30 Rock, saying, "he didn't care if he never acted again." He just wants to work for alienated parents' rights forever and ever. NBC, of course, said, "See this piece of paper? This is your contract. We own you for another year, dude."

So what's left? The ultimate walk of shame: having to appear contrite on the View in front of short-timer Rosie O' Donnell and her nemesis Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Actually, that might be penance enough.

Alec, you're one shrewd mofo. I give you that... and I'll be watching.

Kim Basinger: "I Didn't Leak The Voicemail Tape"

Alisyn — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:38:00 GMT

Through her representative, Kim Basinger has denied leaking the infamous voicemail heard 'round the world to the media.

Annette Wolf told OK! Magazine that her client (Kim), did not share the private message with the press, but did say that "Everybody is always asking why this custody battle has been going on for so many years... The issue is not about Kim or the alleged alienation that Alec constantly refers to, it is about his ongoing aggressive behavior. Kim’s sincerest wish is for him to finally address his unstable and irrational behavior so he, at some point, can potentially create a relationship with his daughter. Until then, Kim will continue to protect and safeguard her child’s well-being as any parent would.”

Part of that safeguarding included hiring a security team for Ireland, so that she may continue to live her life as she is accustomed to doing, without being approached by paparazzi or deranged fans. Poor little thing... the shelf life of anonymity is practically non-existent for the kid of two Hollywood stars. Though Ireland had a pretty good run, racking up 11 years of relative peace and quiet, save for the odd public appearance, it's the end of an era for her.

The fact that Kim denies leaking the tape leaves me a little mystified. If she didn't do it, who did? Play along! Let's see, there's Ireland... but I think we can probably rule her out. A housekeeper or nanny, perhaps? If Ireland played the message at a friend's house, could someone (a parent or the friend his/herself) have recorded it, then sold it? Could Kim have given a copy to her lawyer, only to have it fall into the hands of a less than trustworthy legal assistant? While all of these scenarios seem unlikely, in all honesty, there are a lot of people out there who know that magazines and news agencies pay top dollar for stuff like this, and wouldn't bat an eyelash at the thought of thrusting a young girl's private life into the national spotlight. Sad, but true.

I'm sure that the facts of this case will all come to light soon enough... in the mean time, my thoughts are with Ireland Baldwin. For her sake, I hope the frenzy dies down sooner rather than later.

Heather Mills Is No Saint And Neither Are You: Leave Alec Alone

Melissa Summers — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:04:00 GMT

Heather Mills was asked what she thought about Alec Baldwin's fiery voicemail message of "love" to his daughter. (Cue: My husband screaming, "WHO CARES WHAT SHE THINKS!? STOP READING THAT!")

Mills says it's wrong to speak to your daughter that way but she's not one to sit around saying, 'Ooh, that is terrible, and we are all perfect, it's all wonderful,' Which is good because that barely makes any sense. She says because his daughter lives with her mother and Alec is on the outside looking in we don't know what is going on behind closed doors. She also mentioned how much respect she has for both Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin because of his work with animal rights.

Wait, this is all making sense now. Alec Baldwin loves animals. Maybe when he called his daughter a "rotten little pig" and "a rude, thoughtless little pig" he saying it as a term of endearment because he loves animals! Look at the little piggies! The adorable rotten and rude little piggies!

Maybe when he said, "I'm gonna let you know just how angry I am... I'm gonna get on a plane, and I'm gonna come out there for the day, and I'm gonna straighten your ass out when I see you... I'm gonna really make sure you get it..." Maybe he was going to straighten her out with love, he was going to show her what a rotten little pig she is with love. Haven't all of us rotten little piggies been loved straight before? Oh wait, wrong movie.

She goes on to tell, presumably America but maybe little Ireland herself, to forgive Mr. Baldwin. But I'm not entirely sure if the public is supposed to forgive anything since remember? We don't know what's going on behind closed doors. I think he'll want to settle that with his little piggie.

Alec Baldwin Apologizes, Blames "Parental Alienation" for Outburst

Alisyn — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:01:00 GMT

Alec Baldwin apologized via his website on Friday for his now infamous voice mail message to his 11-year old-daughter, Ireland, insisting that their relationship is "normal," and blaming ex-wife Kim Basinger for his public humiliation.

"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... I have endured a great deal over the last several years in my custody litigation. Everyone who knows me privately knows that certain people will go to any lengths to embarrass me and to disrupt my relationship with my daughter."

Alec's lawyer asked the L.A. Superior Court to investigate the source of the leaked message on Friday, and told People "the tape had to have come from [Kim Basinger]... the only parent with custody, possession and control of the minor child's telephone voice mail message... Neither we or the court had a copy, so where else could it have come from? This is a direct violation of a court's order to keep items sealed, [and] ultimately damaging to the child."

Alec went on to say that in a high profile custody case like his, "opponents attempt to take a picture of you on your worst day and insist that this is who you are as a person... 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."

So there you have it. It's not really an apology, as much as it is a "fuck you" to his ex-wife, for exposing him as the verbally abusive man she has always claimed he is. There is little room to doubt that it was indeed Kim who leaked the tape, and it would not be the first time she has defied a court order to do what she deemed necessary to protect her daughter. While I don't necessarily agree with her actions, I must say that if I truly thought my child was in danger of being abused, I'd do whatever I could to keep her out of a potentially dangerous situation, too.

And no, this incident is not necessarily indicative of the kind of man, or father, that Alec Baldwin is. And yes, all parents are entitled to be royally pissed off at their kids from time to time. But if this tape hadn't been made public, and Alec wasn't forced to publicly acknowledge his meltdown, how much further might it have gone? Must we wait until verbal abuse escalates to physical abuse before taking it seriously? This guy is blaming his ex, his kid, his feeling of alienation... but taking none of the blame for this tirade for himself. He seems more concerned about the tape being leaked, "because of what it does to the child", than he does about the disgusting words on the tape itself.

At the very least, I hope this incident forces Mr. Baldwin to take a good, hard look at himself, and take at least some responsibility for his own outrageous behavior. And I hope he gets the help he needs to become the father he claims his ex-wife refuses to let him be - because everyone deserves a second chance. But when a child is concerned, I think it's only fair to insist that that second chance be earned, not given.

Alec Baldwin's Raging, Abuse-Filled Message to Daughter May Cost Him His Parental Rights

Alisyn — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:01:00 GMT

Kim Basinger has been fighting for sole custody of her and Alec Baldwin's daughter, Ireland, for some time now. Over the years, the threesome has been in and out of court more than Alec's weight has flucuated - and that's a lot. As it stands now, Kim has primary physical custody of Ireland, with Alec retaining visitation rights.

And now we know why.

Because as this seething, vicious message left on Ireland's voice mail indicates, Alec has some serious and deep-seeded anger issues, and should not be allowed anywhere near his child without supervision. When Ireland failed to answer her phone for her scheduled phone call with Daddy Dearest on April 11, 2007, he unleashed a torrent of rage on her:

Once again, I have made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone to call you at a specific time... When the time comes for me to make the phone call, I stop whatever I'm doing, and I go and I make that phone call... and you don't even have the goddamn phone turned on! I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'm leaving this message for you to tell you that 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 damn 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 ass who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned... I'm gonna let you know just how angry I am... I'm gonna get on a plane, and I'm gonna come out there for the day, and I'm gonna straighten your ass out when I see you... I'm gonna really make sure you get it, about what a rotten little pig you really are. You are a rude, thoughtless little pig.

Ireland is eleven years old. This is Alec Baldwin raging at his eleven year old child. Stunning, isn't it?

This is verbal abuse, plain and simple, and if i was Kim Basinger, I would have done the exact same thing she did: she took the message to an L.A. Superior Court, and asked that the judge suspend Alec's visitation rights with his daughter, which the judge did (temporarily). A hearing is set for May 4 to determine whether or not Alec's visitation and contact rights with Ireland will be permanently suspended. No word on who leaked the message to the press, but I think we can assume it was Kim, don't you?

(You can listen to the entire message here, but I warn you, it's horrible.)

[Via TMZ]

UPDATE: Alec's spokesperson released the following statement to the TV show "EXTRA": "In the best interest of the child, Alec will do what the mother is pathologically incapable of doing ... keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order. The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order. Although Alec acknowledges that he should have used different language in parenting his child, everyone who knows him privately knows what he has been put through for the past six years."