Alec Baldwin went through a curious mid-life crisis.
Rather than bemoan the fact he was losing leading men roles to other, younger actors, he went the supporting actor route.
And it worked better than anyone could have expected.
Baldwin’s work in “The Cooler,” “Along Came Polly” and “The Departed” show his versatility and willingness to grab the smaller, meatier roles and make them his own.
But one role he seems ill-suited for is politician.
No, it’s not about his left-leaning politics. Just ask Sen. Al Franken if that’s an issue for him.
Baldwin’s notorious temper apparently comes with an equally thin skin. Check him out excoriating CNN’s Jack Cafferty for daring to suggest Baldwin wasn’t fit for office.
You’ll have to read to the very end to see just how angry the column gets.
If Baldwin decides to run for office in any capacity, he can expect a lot more Cafferty-style assaults.
The Long Island native already has an impressive film and TV career. Here’s hoping he doesn’t make the unwise choice to leave both behind.
(Photo: Actor Alec Baldwin, Emmy winning co-star of NBC’s “30 Rock”)
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I'm an award-winning journalist and film critic with more than a decade of experience in newspapers, magazines and the Web. I'm a member of both the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association and the Denver Film Critics Society.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I hate it that I like Alec Baldwin on camera. Even when he’s taking shots at President Bush on 30 Rock, there is an endearing quality to his work. Its when he shoves his foot in his mouth during interviews that I come crashing back to reality and realize who he really is. And if he can’t take a Jack Cafferty interview, I can’t wait to see what happens when he appears with an interviewer that is not sympathetic to his causes. Though, there are enough outlets to help insure that that may never actually happen.
I sort of want to hate Baldwin, but his genius performance on “30 Rock” prohibits a lot of hard feelings. He’s just that good.
Whenever I see him on an interview, it looks to me like he is trying very hard not to be mean, but he JUST. CAN’T. HELP IT.
If you have problems hating him, just listen to the voice mail he left his daughter.
He’s the other Sean Penn - an extremely gifted actor whose off-screen comments make one wince.
And yeah, I’ll forgive him plenty simply for “30 Rock.”
Is there a reason why we all are so ignorant that we’d let someone who has no ability to compromise get in congress or become the executive branch? I think Baldwin has no capacity for compromise, nor does he want to. When you are as stubborn and obstinate as this man has long demonstrated for his causes, it remains unseen how he’s shown any desire or precedent for compromise and making solutions happen. RATHER- he has been quite contrary to what we need- that is A UNITER. Obama has an okay foreign policy, but his domestic policy has left us in such deficits and the irresponsibile public just wants more. Gov’t is the problem and we need people to start getting gov’t off our back and that starts with getting posh CELEBS the boot when they take their art of acting on the road. We already have a political circus without the likes of an Alec “f bomb” Baldwin.
The best part of an Alec Baldwin campaign would be watching Stephen and Adam endorse his opponent.
I think he’s a wonderful actor, drama and comedy. He was the perfect Jack Ryan and his times on SNL are priceless.
Off screen I get a Chevy Chase vibe from him though. Bitter and angry, a man who has contempt for everyone and enjoys inflicting pain on people, verbal or physical.
I don’t know anything about Kim Bassinger off screen, but I’d be willing to bet Baldwin earned whatever hell she put him through in their divorce.
A classic case of someone having immense talent, but being such a horrible person that it’s not worth seeing that talent because of it. This is the kind of guy that would end up using the arm of the federal government to destroy people that dared simply criticize him. He’s not mentally stable.
Teh REAL problem is that he, like the rest of those hollywood libs, is NOT SMART.
Because he looks the way he does, and says lines that other, smarter people have written, his image is that he is smart and capable.
He’s not. He’’s just another moron actor who, because he has made a lot of money in the “let’s pretend” business, thinks he can be a senator. Just let him try.
I don’t know anything about Kim Bassinger off screen, but I’d be willing to bet Baldwin earned whatever hell she put him through in their divorce.
We can only hope.The guy is lower than pond scum. Anyone that speaks (yells ) at a child the way he did deserves all the ridicule due.
There are many folks who come from the entertainment industry that go into politics, mostly local, and many thrive. I’m unaware of Baldwin’s real agenda considering the entertainment value of “news” these days and give him the benefit of that since he’s NOT in any office yet, he hasn’t screwed anything up. Regan was an actor too and he did some things right and some things wrong. Being an actor doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from being a politician.
It’s true that Baldwin hasn’t layed all his cards on the table yet, but given his feisty -read snarly - personality - and inability to take a shot from a liberal CNN anchor it doesn’t bode well for his future.
Adam isn’t related. The ‘other’ Baldwin brother is Daniel, and I have no idea at all what his politics are.
And don’t forget Shemp Baldwin!
Just what our country needs, another nutty celeb Lib in our govt.
That sound you can hear is Joseph Baldwin crying…