I’ve never understood how anyone could want to destroy someone they were once married to. By the same token, I’ve never really understood how they can stay close friends, either, but that’s a blog for another day.
You may recall the release of a tape of Alec Baldwin ranting, inappropriately, at his daughter with Kim Basinger. The girl, Ireland, who lives mostly with her Mother, had stood her Dad up for an agreed-upon telephone chat appointment for the zillionth time in a row. Baldwin had been dropping whatever he was doing so that he could be available to talk to Ireland at her chosen hour but time after time the calls went to voice mail and he blew his stack.
Baldwin’s temper is legendary. He probably wasn’t a saint during his marriage to Basinger. But when you become a parent you have to – HAVE TO – put that crap aside and put your child first. It’s best for the child that they see both parents, providing they’re not abusive or whatever. But Basinger interfered to the point that Baldwin snapped and called their daughter some names. And then Basinger did the unforgiveable. She released the tape of that message to Ireland to the media.
Now Baldwin is talking about the fallout from that incident and revealing that he actually considered suicide. He was humiliated, exposed and the only thing that kept him alive was realizing that he couldn’t let Basinger “win”. So he got active instead. He wrote a book about alienated fathers in long custody battles. And he stood and continues to stand his ground against those who fed on his folly. Even though “30 Rock” is on NBC, Baldwin vows to never appear on the Today Show as a result of their behaviour after the tape came out. They didn’t call him to get his side of the story even though he new Matt Lauer personally. Baldwin’s holding a grudge and I think that’s appropriate.
Alec Baldwin made a big mistake. His daughter has long ago forgiven him. His ex-wife continues to battle him over access to their daughter. The stories he tells about the tricks she has pulled are eyebrow-raising. (And she hasn’t sued so they must be true!) It appears she won’t quit until he gives up and he’s not going to give up. It’s ugly and it’s an unfair scenario that’s playing out all over the world, by both genders, by using the child as a pawn in some sort of sick retaliation for a broken relationship. Only Baldwin is being open about the situation because it’s healing for him. Besides, his darkest moment was played in our living rooms. There isn’t anything left for him to hide.