MSNBC finds itself in a tricky spot over Alec Baldwin's latest public controversy.
The actor and host of the network's Friday night program "Up Late" was caught on camera angrily cursing at a photographer for getting close to his family. He also appeared to call the photographer a "c--ksucking f-g."
Baldwin, who had already gone through one homophobia-related controversy this year, insisted that he had called the photographer a "fathead," and threatened to sue anyone who said otherwise. He did say that he would no longer use the term "c--ksucker" after being told by GLAAD that it was offensive.
MSNBC has so far stayed silent about Baldwin's rant, but the network was put under pressure by famed blogger Andrew Sullivan on Thursday night. Sullivan--who, among other things, clearly did not believe that Baldwin called the photographer a "fathead"-- slammed MSNBC for not criticizing him, and called on the network's gay hosts to speak up:
What a bunch of hypocrites and phonies on that propaganda network...there will be no consequences. With liberal homophobes, there never are. If you're a conservative and are caught yelling these slurs at random people, you'd be fired pronto or buried in an avalanche of gay protest. If you're a self-entitled liberal, you're fine. What, I wonder, will MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, Thomas Roberts and Jonathan Capehart say about this? Nothing, I'll bet you.
Twitter was also full of similar comments:
Shouldn't MSNBC be concerned that one of its hosts is such a crazed homophobe? http://t.co/sG8j7gUtd5
-- Michelle Goldberg (@michelleinbklyn) November 15, 2013