Alec Baldwin Says He Got the "Conan O'Brien Treatment" when MSNBC Canceled his Show

[JamesG]

Report: "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin in Talks With NBC for Very Late-Night Show
by Vlada Gelman
4/9/13


Alec Baldwin may be heading back to NBC, albeit in a much later timeslot.

The "30 Rock" alum is in consideration for a spot on the network’s late-night lineup, an unnamed executive tells The New York Times.

Talks are only in the initial stages, but a likely home for Baldwin’s chatfest is already being singled out: The slot currently filled by "Last Call", which is hosted by Carson Daly.





Should Baldwin take over the Voice host’s half-hour, it would represent a complete overhaul of the Peacock network’s nighttime talk offerings. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that "Late Night" frontman Jimmy Fallon will succeed Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show" in Spring 2014.

Meanwhile, sources confirm that SNL‘s Seth Meyers is the odds-on-favorite to inherit Fallon’s former perch.



Baldwin is a frequent and favorite late-night show guest. Additionally, he created a podcast with WNYC radio in New York called “Here’s the Thing,” on which he’s interviewed David Letterman, Kristen Wiig, Chris Rock, Lena Dunham and many more.

http://tvline.com/2013/04/09/alec-ba...show-host-nbc/

[JamesG]

Alec Baldwin In Talks for MSNBC Primetime Show
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
Thursday August 8, 2013


Alec Baldwin may be following in Charles Grodin’s footsteps, segueing from a career as a actor to a gig as a talk show host on an NBC-affiliated cable network. Baldwin is in talks with MSNBC to host a primetime talk show.

“It’s real possibility,” a source close to the situation said, cautioning that there is no deal and things could still fall apart.



According to Mediate, which first reported the Baldwin-MSNBC negotiations, the Emmy-winning actor is eyed for the 10 PM hour. Following his seven-year run on NBC’s "30 Rock", the network kept Baldwin in the fold with a two-year overall deal inked late last year.

Since then, he was considered for a late-night talk show, with the discussion focusing on Baldwin possibly taking over NBC’s 1:35 AM half-hour occupied by "Last Call with Carson Daly". However, nothing came out of that, and "Last Call" was renewed for another season.



Baldwin has been considered a solid talk show host contender. He is used to being on live TV with a record 16 stints as host of NBC’s "Saturday Night Live" in addition to two live "30 Rock" episodes.

Additionally, he’s been honing his skills as interviewer with his weekly podcast Here’s The Thing, in which he interviews famous people. Still, Baldwin has had temper issues, displayed largely in outbursts directed at tabloid reporters/photographers, which could make for great television but also cause headaches for his potential employer.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/alec...rimetime-show/

[Old School TV]

Some were surprised after the Baldwin tweet scandal in which he made alleged homophobic comments. Anderson Cooper of CNN felt it was hypocritical that Baldwin a liberal could get away with it. We all saw the entire slack that Paula Deen got for something she said years ago. However, a guy like Baldwin could talk about savagely beating a guy via sodomy and than get rewarded with a show ? Many feel if Baldwin was conservative he would lose his sponsors as Capital One.

I'm editing this post to add a great article about this topic:
http://frontpagemag.com/2013/ben-sha...goes-anti-gay/

[JamesG]

Alec Baldwin's MSNBC Show to Debut in October
Sep 5, 2013
by Liz Raftery


It's official: Alec Baldwin is joining MSNBC.

Baldwin will host "Up Late with Alec Baldwin" on Fridays at 10/9c beginning in October, the network announced Thursday. The show will cover weekly current events and culture.



Since 2011, the "30 Rock" alum has hosted the "Here's the Thing" podcast on WNYC and has interviewed several politicians and pop culture icons.

"After two seasons of my WNYC podcast, I've developed a fondness for hosting a show that involved talking with smart, talented and engaging people in every imaginable field," Baldwin said in a statement. "I'm grateful to MSNBC for helping me bring a similar show to television."



Added MSNBC President Phil Griffin: "I've been talking with Alec for a while and can't wait to bring his personality and eclectic interests to MSNBC. He's got such passion for ideas and what's going on in the world. He's going to be a great addition to our lineup."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Alec-Bal...t-1069953.aspx

[JamesG]

[Janice]

Must miss tv.

[TMC]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-a-snooze.html

Baldwin launched "Up Late" with the head-scratching decision to devote a full hour to a New York City mayoral candidate that the rest of the country doesn't care about.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#Jm5qxfP1PZskZeTm.99

[Vahan]

I wish I could do one thing to the person who suggested keeping Alec Baldwin, even after he made homophobic remarks. Go all Joe McCarthy on him.

[TMC]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/alec...-news-channel/

Baldwin has lost 41% of his viewers in the key demo since his launch last month.

[JamesG]

Alec Baldwin Threatens To Quit Showbiz, Says MSNBC’s "Up Late" Might Not Return after Suspension
by JEN YAMATO
November 16, 2013


A day after his MSNBC show "Up Late with Alec Baldwin" was put on a two week suspension, Alec Baldwin revealed on his blog that the long-term fate of the show is up in the air.

“Whether the show comes back at all is at issue right now,” he wrote Saturday morning. “My producers and I had a very enlightening and well-researched program prepared to air on November 22nd itself, dealing with John Kennedy’s assassination. That show is off the air now.”





Baldwin released an apology Friday for the alleged anti-gay remarks to a photographer that led to the MSNBC suspension, but in his lengthier blog post denied uttering any slur during the taped incident.

“I can assure you, with complete confidence, that a direct homophobic slur (or indirect one for that matter) was not spoken,” he wrote.





"Up Late" premiered last month to up-and-down ratings in the Friday 10 PM slot and was still finding its footing when the hammer dropped yesterday. Baldwin’s blog post suggests it may not return at all even after the current two-week suspension.

“If the show dies, its fate ends up being no different than the vast majority of start-up TV programming, and so be it. We do take a small amount of pride in knowing that we beat CNN in the ratings each of our nights. (I forget who they had on at that time),” he wrote.





The award-winning actor also hinted that he may quit the entertainment industry altogether following this week’s episode, the latest row in a string of highly publicized paparazzi run-ins Baldwin blames on a celeb-obsessed America.

“If quitting the television business, the movie business, the theatre, any component of entertainment, is necessary in order to bring safety and peace to my family, then that is an easy decision,” he wrote.

“This country’s obsession with the private lives of famous people is tragic. It’s tragic in the sense that it is so clearly a projection of people’s frustration about their government, their economy, their own spiritual bankruptcy. You have no voice in Washington. In Washington, or in any statehouse, no one actually cares what you think. So you post online, you vote with a Roman-esque thumbs up or down on the celebrity debacle of the day. That is your right. It’s also fatal misdirection of your voice and need to judge. Occupy Wall Street, on their worst day, had more integrity than the comments page of a website ever will.”

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/alec...spension-blog/

[TMC]

http://pagesix.com/2013/11/20/msnbc-...ldwins-return/

An "insider" tells Page Six, "He would only show up at work an hour a week to prep for the show, and when he did turn up, he was in an angry mood, red-faced, and shouting at all the staff. And he said the air at 30 Rock was too dry, it was bad for his voice, he needed a humidifier."
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#5vH2joS4lAEVYblJ.99

[JamesG]

Alec Baldwin's MSNBC Show Officially Over
Nov 26, 2013
by Sadie Gennis


Alec Baldwin and MSNBC have agreed to part ways, canceling his short-lived talk show "Up Late" in light of the controversy surrounding Baldwin's latest alleged use of a homophobic slur.

MSNBC and Matthew Hiltzik, a rep for Baldwin, released a joint statement reading: "We are jointly confirming that Up Late will not continue on MSNBC."

While the New York Post, which first reported Baldwin's exit, said the actor was fired partially due to "his diva-like behavior," which included demanding a humidifier, sources insist to Variety that Baldwin and MSNBC "mutually" agreed to end the show.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Alec-Bal...d-1073939.aspx

[Janice]

See ya, idiot!

[Vahan]

Now how about Hollywood going all Joe McCarthy on him, making sure he never works in the industry ever again?

Hollywood loves to spew the garbage that the blacklist is dead,and that it only existed during Joe McCarthy's time. But nope, it is alive and well, and as strong as ever. Conservatives claim that the reason they're not getting any work is because of their beliefs.

[JamesG]

Alec Baldwin Calls Out 'Fundamentalist' Gay Advocates, TMZ, Martin Bashir after MSNBC Exit
11/26/13
by THR Staff


Alec Baldwin is not mincing words in the aftermath of his MSNBC talk show "Up Late" getting the ax after just five episodes. After fallout from a recent paparazzi scuffle that saw TMZ post footage of the actor shouting unconfirmed homophobic slurs caused MSNBC to suspend production on the program, the cable net and Baldwin's rep announced a "mutual parting" on Tuesday morning.

The actor, who has remained largely silent since the incident with the exception of a Huffington Post editorial, spoke with Gothamist shortly after news of "Up Late's" cancellation hit.

In addition to shouldering some of the responsibility, he was quick to point out GLAAD publicity VP Rich Ferraro and blogger Andrew Sullivan "killed" his show.





"'******' is not the word that came out of my mouth," he told Gothamist.

"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."





Baldwin also pointed out that Martin Bashir, the MSNBC host who has come under fire for calling Sarah Palin a "world-class idiot" in addition to making other crude suggestions, has yet to receive any formal punishment despite heavy criticism elsewhere in the media:

"Martin Bashir's on the air, and he made his comment on the air."





TMZ, which posted the video of Baldwin's paparazzi incident, is also not in Baldwin's favor at the moment.

"Showing a video in which I call someone a 'cocksucking something' … you can't really tell what I'm saying," he said. "And we live in a world in which the phrase 'TMZ's enhanced audio' exists. TMZ's enhanced audio!"





Baldwin's MSNBC exit was first reported Tuesday by the New York Post, which also alleged he was difficult to work with.

"People whom I worked with that I cared about -- these people were all very supportive of the show," he said. "Now, there was somebody on the staff whom I did not want to work with. There was somebody on the staff whom I thought wasn't a good fit for me. And I wouldn't rule out if that person went to the Post and gave them that story."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ist-gay-660407