The speed with which people attacked Baldwin as a bigot is alarming and tragic. The man deserves an apology.
BREAKING NEWS.
A story being pushed earlier today by Fox News and other celebrity news outlets reports that Alec Baldwin called a black reporter a “coon”. The story alleges that Baldwin yelled racial slurs at New York Post reporters. (The New York Post is also owned by Fox News head Rupert Murdoch.) Since then, the story has exploded on Twitter. People are calling Baldwin a bigot and demanding that he be blacklisted by Hollywood.
All day the comments on Twitter have attacked Baldwin mercilessly as a bigot and a racist.
Now audio has surfaced of the altercation. United Press International and TMZ are reporting that Baldwin did not use racial slurs of any kind. TMZ who has info about the tape has cleared Baldwin. They say:
New info on the audio tape of the confrontation between Baldwin and the Post photog. Sources tell us … there is NO mention of a racial slur on the tape. And, we’re told, the initial story — that Baldwin allegedly said “I want to choke you to death” — is incorrect. We’re told in fact Baldwin said, “I want you to choke to death,” which is exactly what Baldwin claimed he said.
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Was Baldwin set up? Did Murdoch’s people try and pull a fast one? If so, they’re losing their touch. Another indication that Murdoch’s right wing media machine is faltering in the glare of internet fact checking and ever more diverse media channels. But I wouldn’t put any of it past Murdoch, who has long had it in for Baldwin, a vocal and self professed liberal.
On a personal note. I met Baldwin when he was helping raise money at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Paul Newman’s camp for kids with life threatening illnesses. I can tell you for a fact, he’s a decent, down to earth guy. He had a few beers with the volunteers and hung out. Like a regular guy.
And at this point, it looks like the man deserves an apology from the whole damn internet.
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I am not convinced. Do we need evidence on tape all the time in these cases? That would cause a lot of existing hate crime convictions to be expunged. The photographer in particular here is a credible witness, where Baldwin has such an extensive record of this sort of behaivor that his credibility is literally gone for anyone willing to view this incident objectively. It is not a big leap from what he’s said in the past that he should have said such things, and his tweets are literally an extension of what the photog claims he said on the… Read more »
Do we need evidence on tape you ask? What if the evidence on tape DIRECTLY contradicts the story you are supporting? Baldwin is accused of saying things that are ABSENT on the tape. The fact that you want the story to be true is all you have left as evidence. And your “credible witness” works for Rupert Murdoch. That pretty much eliminates the credible part right there. He works for a “news” organization who’s marching orders come from a guy who number one goal is to tear down liberals. Period.
@Mark Goblowsky Greene: “…number one goal is to tear down liberals?” I don’t remember seeing that in his biography or in anything I’ve read about NewsCorp., so I have to conclude the incredible point of view here is yours. Hatred isn’t cool, whether is a egomaniacal actor using racial epithets or a liberal web site commentor claiming Rupert Murdoch fabricated those epithets on a quest to “tear down liberals.”
Oh, I see. Hatred. You’re calling my comments “hatred.” Look, my friend, Rupert Murdoch hired Roger Ailes, the king daddy of conservative political operatives, to run his news organization. Was that because he liked his haircut? C’mon. Fox News is the propaganda arm of the Republican Party. There isn’t a soul in western civilization who argues that point any more. Murdoch’s news organization fabricates a lot more than just racial epithets. His people lie openly on the airwaves and in print every day. And lately their unethical practices have gotten a lot of them thrown in jail. So please, spare… Read more »
I think that he should wear a go pro whenever in public.. take out a general restraining order against all media for harassing behavior as a human being why should he be subject to constant pack dog scum.. why is an excop still showing off a badge? Needs to pepper spray any camera in reach.
@Kimo: Baldwin videotaping his own rants–that I’d like to see. In particular his meltdown on the plane when the attendant told him to stop playing “Words With Friends.” “A general restraining order against all media for harassing behavior?” I can’t even comment on how ignorant and divorced from reality that is (no such thing, define “media,” define “harassing behavior”), but there’s nothing in the coverage of this incident to indicate Baldwin was harassed. He was photographed and questioned in public, in compliance with the law. “Why should be be subject to pack dog scum?” Well, nice to see you’re keeping… Read more »
Not sure why you are single out “Fox News and other celebrity news outlets” when the story broke on New York Post. Defend Baldwin if you’d like, go after New York Post if you’d like, but don’t then try to slander other outlets. To go after one, peripheral player by name but ignore New York Post… Come on. You should apologize to” the whole damn internet.”
Because I smell a hatchet job, that’s why, with Murdoch’s fingerprints all over it. The New York Post and Fox News are both Murdoch’s mouthpieces. The New York Post manufactures the lie in the NYC market, Fox News spews it out across the globe. A cute little operation they run there. I never said Baldwin is perfect, but this whole manufactured racism witch hunt stinks to high heaven.
Baldwin tweeted about the incident, calling the black photographer “Ralston,” and a “crackhead,” then, realizing he was letting his racism show, pulled the tweets down. No question in my mind the man who advocated the stoning of Henry Hyde AND his children is a typical liberal racist–“I can’t be racist, I’m a liberal, I gave money to the Arthur Ashe Foundation, I work with a black guy on TV, so it’s OK if I use “House Ni&%$r” names for black guys and call them crackheads.” Note: He never called the white reporter a “crackhead” or used a misogynistic name for… Read more »
You have no clue as to what your talking about, you never met the man. He doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.
Tmz says “he acts like a regular guy” that’s because he IS a regular guy- just because he was on TV it does not make him SUPERMAN OR ANYTHING- celebrities are just luckier than most- that’s it- they do not have super human powers- they can not part the sea- they can not heal- they are regular people!!!
And at this point, it looks like the man deserves an apology from the whole damn internet.
I wouldn’t hold my breath on that.
These days its about getting “the hot story” or the “controversial commentary”. Letting little things like fact and truth get in the way would only slow things down.
This is actually the first time I’ve been made aware of the incident. I’m glad Alec had a solid piece of evidence come out supporting his innocence and that he handled it well prior to that. It seems that the country as a whole has become much more sensitive about racism, but no matter how you feel about it, we can’t lose common decency. If anyone made a mistake, show some effort and apologize as well.
“Handled it well prior…?” He posted numerous tweets about “Ralston” and “crackheads” before deleting those tweets.
He has a temper,but the man is not a racist and has high values,and is also considerate.The press needs to give him some space
He certainly wasn’t considerate when he called out a flight attendant who told him to stop playing his game…
i was walking behind and then came up opposite alex baldwin on sunday morning as he was talking his two dogs to washington sq park for a walk. in front of him – like 2 inches from his face- was an african american photographer who besides taking a zillion pictures (with flash) was berating baldwin as being a racist. to baldwins’s defense, he acted like a gentleman and did not get baited into a verbal fight. the man had a right to take his dogs for a walk on a sunday morning. elliot zulver
When we move at the speed of internet these things happen. No one fact checks and everyone seems to mob. And once it’s out there, doesn’t matter if it’s undone…we may have doomed ourselves.
Does that include the times Baldwin himself has used his tweets to call out flight attendants and baristas who allegedly piss him off?
Baldwin has used social media when it benefits him. I actually agree with his politics, but he’s proven himself a real jerk in the past.