What pisses me off about the Alec Baldwin thing is the constant repeating of his words. His daughte

[Maraya1969]

might have been upset and he could have apologized and things would have been OK. But the poor kid is seeing her father's words broad-casted all over the place about her.

I think the media has not been sensitive to this little girl in favor of getting a story.

I remember my parents saying hurtful things to me and I also remember them apologizing. They are human.

I think of all her friends at school knowing about this situation and how embarrassed she must be. And of course Kim Bassinger is to blame also. It was a low down trick.

[frogcycle]

1. what pisses me off is

that it got on the air at all
that it got any more than one single mention
that they show the kids picture over and over


a responsible news org would have looked at it and said, hey, this is private personal stuff in a pending legal battle - and sent it to the judge.

but these aren't news org. they are entertainment. people mag sells, Nat enquirer sells, and this shit sells.

there are a lot of voyeurs out there buying it. and they all suck

Excuse me, voyeurs. I am in a foul mood. Its been a shit week.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. It's about the smearing and neutralization...

Of another progressive voice. That's all.

[Raine]

4. He smeared himself

he's no credit to the progressive side.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. I see.

So, you think it's valid for the press to run with their family stuff, right?

On edit: and you would just toss his voice overboard because he chewed out his daughter?

Would you feel the same way if Ms. Bassinger left the message?

[Raine]

19. Yeah I would feel the same

if she left the message, why should a woman be excused.

[jilln]

17. He's no credit to the progressive side

Except for his tireless fundraising for progressive candidates and causes, his willingness to speak in public about issues even when it gets him bad publicity, his constant charitable work, etc.

I'm guessing you've done much more for the world than he has.

[Raine]

20. So all that excuses

child abuse ... :eyes:

[jilln]

23. If that constituted child abuse,

probably 95% of the country has been abused.

Those of you who think this is child abuse are like homeland security goons... seeing horrible threats everywhere.

It seems like it was mean, and he has apologized. Unless you have intimate knowledge of their relationship, you don't know what prompted this. The words were kinda mean, but that does not constitute child abuse. When you go through that and have everything you say publicized then you can talk. The facts are that we don't know enough to judge this, but we do know enough to judge that he has done quite a lot for the progressive side.

[Sterling]

34. No wonder kids are so selfish these days.

Child abuse? Sure it was not the way I would want to talk to my kid but sometimes kids need to be told they are acting like little assholes. If more parents pointed this out we would have a better generation of people growing up around us instead of the Y kids that think they should have the fucking world handed to them on a platter and can do no wrong. We are raising a generation of weak narcissists.

[Madspirit]

33. Give Me a Break

Baldwin is known for his crappy-assed temper. No wonder his little girl wants nothing to do with him. ...and our side doesn't get breaks for child abuse. Sorry.
Give me ....................A FUCKING BREAK!!
Lee

[sandnsea]

3. She may be laughing

and glad he's getting what's coming to him. We don't know. This is one incident. What is it doing in our news and why can't we join together to get it off there. That's the real question.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

29. No doubt she is laughing if parental alienation is applicable... n/t

[MLFerrell]

5. I don't have TV. What's this all about?

Evidently, I missed something...

[progdonkey]

10. Baldwin left an angry message on his 11-year-old daughter's cell phone...

You can get caught up on the whole thing here, if you want: http://www.tmz.com/category/alec-baldwin/

Long story short: Exacerbated by a bitter divorce proceeding with Kim Basinger that's been going on for six years, Baldwin was angry with his daughter for whatever private reasons, left a very mean message on her cell phone, and Kim Basinger's people released it to the media, in violation of a court order. The media has been hawking the story because it's a "celeb being uncelebrity-like," but it's no one's business but the family and the judge handling the divorce proceedings.

[Ignacio Upton]

22. I'm pissed that something like that got released

Honestly, we don't know if Baldwin consistently treats his daughter like that, or if he was at his wits end and got frustrated. My parents had similar episodes with me when I was growing up, so I'm more willing to be open to his side of the story because of my experiences.

[uppityperson]

6. Indeed, which was more hurtful, the message or the publicizing it, playing it repeatedly.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. At this point, I'm guessing it was Mom who released it

to the press.

Before that, it was a private hurt. Now the kid has to hear it from her classmates, many of whom will start calling her "piggy" and make oinking noises when her back is turned. That'll hurt as much or more than the original message.

Nice move, Kim.

I doubt if the kid or Baldwin released it.

As usual, I could be wrong.

[greenbriar]

8. I'm not perfect

Just Thursday, I snapped at my gifted wonderful 15 year old... partly out of frustration, partly out of fear


She goes to a high school with over 2000 students, I have to leave work to go pick her up as she doesn't qualify for transportation. She is usually at the spot we agreed upon by 3:15 it was 3:30 and she wasn't there.

I called her cell...voice mail I called her best friend...voice mail

I then called her cell back and left a message that if she wasn't at the spot in 3 minutes she was going to have to find her own way home...

I didn't know what was going on and I was getting frustraited and kind of scared...



WELL she was actually talkign to her teachers because she knew she was going to be absent on Friday and she was getting her assignments...


you don't think I felt about 2mm small??????????


IT HAPPENS>>>WE ARE NOT PERFECT

[Cha]

31. So you can really understand it's not

all black and white. I'm giving him the benefit, too, since I know all too well that even Progressives are not perfect.

[MODemocrat]

9. After seeing my Son go through the same thing with his daughters

I'm almost certain the Mother had a lot to do with this situation; therefore, she isn't blameless.
His words were too harsh with his little daughter; she's only a little child, so he needs to beg her
for forgiveness and make sure it doesn't happen again. We say things we regret when we're angry; so
one should think twice before saying such hurtful things. It saddens me for his daughter.

My Father died when I was eleven years old, and it probably would have broken my heart had he ever talked to me in that manner. Thank Goodness, he never did. :cry: :cry: :cry: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[bling bling]

16. .

:hug:

[rucky]

11. and Mom made it public.

maybe Angelina Jolie should adopt her, because both of her parents are selfish - er - pigs.

[The Straight Story]

12. Reminds me of the whole Imus thing - the same words repeated over and over

again.

I am betting the people his shit was directed against never even heard the show or what he said until people kept playing it over and over night and day in the news.

Which is worse really - saying it to someone, or having it played over and over again by people who say what you said is wrong?

Now everyone has it heard it, so many times it makes em sick.

Kinda makes ya think....

[Bluebear]

21. 'the people his shit was directed against never even heard the show'

Would that make the words less disgusting?

[The Straight Story]

24. No, not the words - but

If Alec's kid had never heard the message...well she has now I am sure as it is being played over and over all over the place. Same with the Imus situation, those girls said things like what he said about them hurt them - but if they did not hear it, and know it was being played over and over, would they have ever been offended?

In these cases part of the blame (if you can call it blame) lays with those who allowed it to air, and continue to air. NBC can bleep out things, but this was ok by their standards to air. Kim leaked the tape (I am guessing) and now the downside of that is her daughter will perhaps suffer more as her family's dirty laundry is even more public - maybe Kim and her X were ok with that, but that young girl does not have a say so in it all.

[sandnsea]

32. One has a history of racism

and has been fired and reprimanded in the past.

The other is the exploitation of a private matter.

They've got nothing in common at all, except to expose the desire of so many DUers to listen to a racist - as long as he says something mean about Bush or Cheney once a week.

[jillan]

14. I've been thinking about that too.

Especially at that age.

Especially after having to go thru her parents messy divorce.

:(

[CANDO]

15. My wife said, "how horrible of him". And I responded...

thank goodness no one records our household when we are dealing with our petulant little 7 1/2 year old. We've all blown our stack at one time or another.

[Oilwellian]

18. I've had just about enough of these goddamned Baldwin threads

Jesus people....get a freaking LIFE if you think this is fucking NEWS! For Pete's sake! Enough already.

[Obamarama]

25. Good grief...ANOTHER Alec Baldwin thread?????

I've been avoiding them, thinking surely this whole incident is none of my business, and besides, WHO THE FUCK CARES? But, since it seems you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting an Alec Baldwin thread I guess I'll contribute my two cents to this ridiculous debate:

1) Baldwin was not verbally abusing his daughter, he was disciplining her. Granted, the "rude little pig" comment was a touch over the top, but this was a man who was not pleased with the behaviour of his daughter. It sounds like she has pulled this sort of thing other times. My dad would occasionally speak to me the way Bladwin spoke to his daughter. It didn't happen often, but when it did 1)I had it coming, and 2)I never repeated the situation that got me that verbal lashing. I certainly don't bear any emotional scars because of it...and looking back on it as an adult, I realize he would occasionally get that upset because I did something that hurt him, or that was likely to hurt myself. Did you think, just for a minute, may the kid sort of had it coming?

2) If you still think Baldwin went across some sort of line, okay...but if you want to villify someone, try villifying that bitch Kim Basinger. You may think Baldwin was wrong in the way he lashed out, but what sort of mother would expose her daughter to this sort of media attention over a private, family matter? If this is the way Basinger has been playing the custody game, no wonder Bladwin is pissed.

3) Now can we divert our attention away from what should be a private, family matter and back on to the fucking mess we're in at the hands of the Boy King?

[BlooInBloo]

26. The irony of your post is greater than the current diameter of the universe.

[Rex]

27. The M$M carved up the Smith Baby even before momma was cold

in the ground. I am truely embarrassed to see the M$M represent me as an American. The media is not in the 'business' to be sensitive towards anyone; the media represents a shallow, hateful group of stereotypes that Americans love to watch and be entertained by. Almost as valuable as toilet paper.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. What pssses me off is that this became a story

over thigns a little more important than a custody case where the judge and the parties involved shoudl be having a long talk

[depakid]

30. Corporate Media? Sensitive?

Those two words don't belong in the same sentence.

I agree though, your post is spot on. Whatever modicum of respect I had for Ms. Bassinger is gone.