MSNBC Suspends Alec Baldwin's 'Up Late' Show For Two Weeks; Actor Apologizes for Outburst

Variety reports that MSNBC has suspended host Alec Baldwin's "Up Late" show both tonight and next Friday, November 22. The move follows Baldwin's confrontation with reporters attempting to interview him about his testimony this week in a trial for a woman accused of stalking him.

Baldwin allegedly confronted a reporter from a Fox TV station after his appearance in court by saying, "If you're still here when my wife and kid come out, you're going to have a big problem, you know that?" He then told the reporter, "You are as dumb as you look. You are with Fox, right?"

As he was walking away, TMZ reported Baldwin "hurled homophobic slurs", including calling the reporter a "c**ksucking f*g", which Baldwin later denied, saying he said "fathead" instead of "f*g".

Apologizing in a statement on MSNBC's website, Baldwin wrote:

"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. 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 is well known for his portrayal of 'Jack Donaghy' on NBC's 30 Rock, and often hosts the network's Saturday Night Live. Baldwin's Blue Jasmine just hit theaters, and the actor will next appear on the big screen in Caught Stealing.

Baldwin appeared on Broadway this summer in Orphans. His other stage credits include Twentieth Century, Short Talks on the Universe, A Streetcar Named Desire, Serious Money and Loot, as well as off-Broadway's Entertaining Mr. Sloane, South Pacific, Macbeth and Prelude to a Kiss.

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