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Alec Baldwin apologizes after fiery rant at daughter, 11 [breaks silence]
AFP via Yahoo ^ | 4/20/07

Posted on 04/20/2007 5:06:55 PM PDT by advance_copy

Alec Baldwin issued an apology on Friday for unleashing a volcanic tirade at his 11-year-old daughter and blamed "certain people" for leaking the rant to US media.

The Oscar-nominated star of "The Departed" branded daughter Ireland a "rude, thoughtless, little pig" in a fiery voicemail message that emerged on celebrity websites on Thursday.

It is the latest twist to the bitter legal wrangling between Baldwin and ex-wife Kim Basinger over custody and visitation rights relating to Ireland. The couple split in 2001.

Baldwin's tirade was apparently triggered by Ireland's failure to switch her mobile phone on for a scheduled call with her father.

"Once again I've made an ass out of myself trying to get to a phone at a specific time," Baldwin says in the message. "I'm tired of playing this game with you. You have insulted me for the last time.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: baldwin; jerk; maniac; whatyoustillhere
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To: steve8714
If you think verbal abuse is abuse, you haven’t seen the real thing.

Well, I have seen and felt the "real thing" and I can assure you that the curses, namecalling, and rage cut as deeply as the sticks, fists, and belts. It's taken me the best part of 50 years to heal. Listening to this tape brought a lot of it back.

Kim Basinger doesn't win Mother of the Year from me either, but if that were my ex leaving a recorded message like that for my child, I'd send a copy to the courts, the media, his family, his friends, his employers/employees, and anyone else who might know him. (Thankfully, I married a good man who's a wonderful father.)

If Baldwin had been in the same room with that child he might have acted out that white-hot fury by punching a wall or the girl herself. She didn't turn her phone on, and that somehow justifies his tirade? To paraphrase, I'd rather be Alec Baldwin's pig than Alec Baldwin's daughter.

441 posted on 04/21/2007 10:29:00 AM PDT by Scothia ( When something important is going on, silence is a lie.)
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To: Albion Wilde
If you have never been in a custody battle, you may not recognize the signs — that for the more abusive parent, the battle is to patch the ego and deny publicly that one is abusive.

This is all rumor, supposition and gossip. The courts are already involved, the choices and outcomes are fixed there and not in the public arena.

This whole explosion is about celebrities behaving badly, but its us that are behaving badly for not recognizing this is a private matter between these people.

Its funny that this whole matter should come up this weekend of all weekends when the Torah portion deals directly with the horror and spreading tales and innuendo.

You would reject the next piece of psycho-babble as a justification for doing evil, but in this, good people seem to feel justified in all sorts of transgressions.

442 posted on 04/21/2007 11:05:28 AM PDT by dalight
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To: dalight

It would appear you haven’t read the entire thread.


443 posted on 04/21/2007 11:26:57 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -2 Cor 3:17)
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To: fr_freak

You must remember that WORDS HURT. Children NEVER forget the harmful words that their parents say to them. And children cannot rationalize away like an adult can.

A parent saying, “You’re a pig.” Does often translate into, “My dad hates me, he finds me disgusting, he doesn’t love me...” And children do not erase those perceptions.

It takes a good deal of “repairing” that damage. And right now, it appears to me that Baldwin is trying to cover his behind in the public’s eye.

He should shut up, and tend to his daughter. It may take years to undo this type of damage. This is just a snippet that you have heard. Imagine the other things he may say to his daughter, that haven’t been taped. Perhaps that was Bassinger’s intention... to get the support of the public.

I cannot imagine that the judge in this case will be happy with what she has done. But, I also believe this custody case has muli-layers of pulling the child this way and that. This was not a good call by the mother. The child already knows what her father said to her. There is no need to throw it out there for the public to see.

I actually think Bassinger is trying to ruin her ex-husband’s career.

But that is neither here, nor there, when it comes to custoday.


444 posted on 04/21/2007 11:29:20 AM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all.--William Goldman)
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To: steve8714
Listen, this guy is bad enough without Freepers imputing evil which is not there. Remember that a guy like this is too simple to engineer an adult insult. there is no forethought in anything he says or does.

Now he's to be excused because he's dumb? Not buyin' what you're sellin'.

445 posted on 04/21/2007 11:29:39 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -2 Cor 3:17)
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To: dalight
You are missing the fact that, this isn't any of our business.

If that is the case, why are you reading this thread?

446 posted on 04/21/2007 11:35:08 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -2 Cor 3:17)
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To: dalight

The press has never ignored sensational custody battles. Apparently you aren’t a student of history. Did you read the press accounts of the Gloria Vanderbilt custody case? It was EXTREMELY sensationalistic with the taint of lesbianism used against her mother. That was in 1934 and it was dubbed “The trial of the Century.”


447 posted on 04/21/2007 12:03:07 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all.--William Goldman)
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To: steve8714
If you think verbal abuse is abuse, you haven’t seen the real thing.

They're both abuse. This really shouldn't be that difficult to understand.

448 posted on 04/21/2007 12:23:54 PM PDT by NittanyLion
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To: hleewilder

I think we can stake a middle ground here.

1. Verbally berating a child is probably not the best course of action, even in discipline. I know of a Republican judge in my county, actually, who almost lost his primary because he would “lose his temper” on the bench against his defendants. While the judge probably had good intentions in what he was doing, judges should only use the methods legally given in the penal code and code of criminal procedure in asessing “discipline” against criminals. If that means a criminal gets more jail time in lieu of a berating in court, so be it, but I would contend that such a punishment would be more beneficial for society, the victim, and the defendant in the long run. This same logic can be applied to parenting.

2. However, verbal abuse is not a crime and to equate it at the same level as a rape or as physical abuse feeds into this liberal utopian ideal that we are not responsible for our own lot in life, but rather our upbringing is solely responsible for how we turn out. This is not beneficial for Ireland to buy into, nor is it beneficial for society to buy into. There was this one guy who is homeless that I’ve met through church who was asking me if I’ve ever been beaten, threatened, and/or abused by my father like he was. Needless to say, he was surprised when I answered his questions in the affirmative.


449 posted on 04/21/2007 12:46:23 PM PDT by Pencil
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To: pollyannaish
What would be no big deal for an adult or even a teenage boy could be devastatingly mortifying for an 11 year old girl.

Why is it that teenage boys, who are well known to develop at a slower pace than girls both physically and emotionally, are always just supposed to "handle it" whether it's public embarrassment, sexual assault at the hands of a teacher, or discrimination in public school?

Typical "boy" behavior is being outlawed in any number of areas in society, no wonder there are so many "confused" boys being manipulated by the gay agenda, societal pressures to leave their testosterone at the door and get more in touch with their feelings.

I offer that Alec Baldwin is a jackass and his behavior toward his child would be equally as hurtful regardless of his child's gender.

450 posted on 04/21/2007 6:20:22 PM PDT by infidel29 (...but sir, if my child had a fever I wouldn't go to a bureaucrat for the diagnosis.)
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To: infidel29

I agree regarding the phone call. I was referring to the nature of Baldwin’s remarks on the Letterman show.

Some children, especially boys who are healthily bonded with a dad might find those remarks to be good natured ribbing and just look to get back at him in a different way. Given what appears to be a strained relationship to begin with and Baldwin’s daughters age, I can image her being a bit put out and not wanting to speak with him the next morning.

But you are absolutely right about the phone call. Boy or girl, there is no excuse for it and it would damage both of them equally.


451 posted on 04/21/2007 6:49:54 PM PDT by pollyannaish
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To: Albion Wilde
Because I expect more from Freepers. And, otherwise, my posts say why. And you are right, I have said enough on this.
452 posted on 04/21/2007 6:54:19 PM PDT by dalight
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To: advance_copy

This is not the first time he has lost his cool. Many should remember after a small plane crashed into a building he kept saying I am Alec Baldwin and let me though. He is just like every other Dem they think that they are above the law and we us the public should bow down and kiss their ass.


453 posted on 04/21/2007 6:56:18 PM PDT by lndrvr1972
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To: advance_copy

Enjoy the mocking on YouTube -— http://youtube.com/watch?v=jGuE8PNnk2E


454 posted on 04/21/2007 7:02:23 PM PDT by doug from upland (Stopping Hillary should be a FreeRepublic Manhattan Project)
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To: pollyannaish
True, I didn't look at the father/son relationship. A daughter might be more harmed by a father's remarks than a son would, just as a son could be more hurt by a mother's.

Being that I have personal experience I have a very sore spot when it comes to gender related issues concerning children.

Sorry I came off as overtly defensive.

455 posted on 04/21/2007 7:06:18 PM PDT by infidel29 (...but sir, if my child had a fever I wouldn't go to a bureaucrat for the diagnosis.)
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To: infidel29

No problem at all. This is complicated. We all bring our own life experience to the table and that makes it even more emotional than usual.


456 posted on 04/21/2007 7:13:13 PM PDT by pollyannaish
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To: conservative cat

I understand!


457 posted on 04/21/2007 7:44:36 PM PDT by jhw61
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
You must remember that WORDS HURT. Children NEVER forget the harmful words that their parents say to them. And children cannot rationalize away like an adult can.>

My Dad loved me more than anyone will ever know. I know that I was his favorite of five siblings. But, my Dad's crutch expression when correcting all of us was "knuckle-headed idiot!" With that kind of admonition there is not much expectation of improvement.

Only one of my siblings could be considered to have achieved a modicum of success comparable to me. I truly believe I might have accomplished more with positive reinforcement instead of negative labeling in my youth.

My daughter graduated Summa Cum Laude and has held important positions at the companies she has worked. She only got positive reinforcement growing up from both my wife and I.

I actually think Bassinger is trying to ruin her ex-husband’s career.

I agree that is probably her intent and I applaud her for it. As I have said, I think the only fit acting job for Arec Barwin is Three Card Monte Shill in downtown Manhattan. I hope his well earned retirement involves always looking over his shoulder to give the high-sign when the NYPD drives by.

458 posted on 04/22/2007 10:47:05 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of the Big Chicken)
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To: advance_copy

He should just end it all....


459 posted on 04/22/2007 10:49:30 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: karnage

Stephen Baldwin is in it. It stars Pauley Shore. Nuff said.


460 posted on 04/23/2007 7:49:57 AM PDT by free_for_now (No Dick Dale in the R&R HOF? - for shame!)
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