Alec Baldwin Apologizes as MSNBC Suspends His Talk Show After His Use of Anti-Gay Slur
Alec Baldwin has apologized for his use of gay slurs just as his MSNBC show has been suspended, E! News reported Friday.
Baldwin's apology was posted on the MSNBC website where he has the late night show, Up Late With Alec Baldwin. It has been temporarily taken off the airwaves in light of his behavior.
"I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have-and for that I am deeply sorry. Words are important. I understand that, and will choose mine with great care going forward. What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support. I understand "Up Late" will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week.
"I want to apologize to my loyal fans and to my colleagues at msnbc-both for my actions and for distracting from their good work. Again, please accept my apology."
Baldwin ignited controversy on Thursday after he verbally assaulted a photogragher who was taking pictures of his family. According to a video posted by TMZ, the Emmy winner hurled homophobic slurs.
"Get away from my kid with the camera! You know what's going to happen to you, don't you? Come on!" Baldwin is heard saying at one point. He then shouted, ""c--ksucking f-g".
Initially, Baldwin took to Twitter to deny TMZ's claim.
"If @TMZ asserts that I used an anti-gay epithet, I will sue them," he tweeted Thursday afternoon. "Acoustic analysis proves the word is fathead. Fathead. Anti-gay slurs are wrong. They not only offend, but threaten hard fought tolerance of LBGT rights. But right wing liarswant those words to come out of liberals mouths. They need them to. One unintended consequence of this type of thing is that I get to block so much of that right wing trash that vents here.
"I know that @TMZ would go to any lengths to bury me. But, try again," Baldwin continued. "I'm grateful to all of the ppl I meet + hear from who recognize that I would never say something to offend my friends in the gay community."