The network and the 55-year-old actor have decided not to continue with 'Up Late' after the recent gay slur controversy.
- Nov 27, 2013
AceShowbiz - MSNBC has divorced Alec Baldwin from their "Up Late with Alec Baldwin" programming. The recent gay slur controversy involving the actor became the reason the network decided not to continue although he has made an apology after a suspension.
"We are jointly confirming that Up Late will not continue on MSNBC," representatives of Baldwin and MSNBC said in a joint statement. MSNBC added, "This is a mutual parting and we wish Alec all the best."
Two weeks ago, Baldwin made the headlines for allegedly throwing a gay slur at a paparazzo in New York City. He was caught on camera saying what was heard as "c**ksucking f*g". The "30 Rock" star then denied it, tweeting that he said "fathead" in the second word.
It resulted in a suspension and two-week hiatus of "Up Late". Baldwin then wrote a statement on the show's site on November 15, "I would like to address the comments I made this past week. 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."
He added, "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."
The show was supposed to return with a new episode on Friday, November 29. However, the 55-year-old expressed his doubt that the show would ever come back at all. "Whether the show comes back at all is at issue right now," he wrote on November 16. "But if the show dies, its fate ends up being no different than the vast majority of startup TV programming, and so be it. We do take a small amount of pride in knowing that we beat CNN in the ratings each of our nights. (I forget who they had on at that time.)"
