Friday, April 20, 2007

Baldwin's Child Custody Woes Continue

If you keep up with the news at all, you will no doubt have heard the long saga of Alec Baldwin's child custody troubles. Then by now you may have also heard the tape of Alec Baldwin's angry ranting phonecall to his daughter that was put up by the website TMZ.com. I will not link the TMZ site but you can read and listen to the audio here. This voicemail was supposed to be kept confidential under court order but it was leaked to TMZ who would not say who sent it in. However,

Baldwin's spokesman said in a statement Thursday that, "in the best interest of the child," the 49-year-old actor "will do what the mother is pathologically incapable of doing ... keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order.

"The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order," the statement continued. "Although Alec acknowledges that he should have used different language in parenting his child, everyone who knows him privately knows what he has been put through for the past six years."

"The voice mail speaks for itself," Basinger's spokeswoman said.


On the shows I have seen about the case, the hosts and others talk about Baldwin being punished for using harsh language with his daughter but if it is found that Bassinger allowed this voicemail to be leaked to the public, she is at least as culpable of psychological abuse of their daughter by pitting her against her father or maybe moreso.

59 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Poor kid. Narcissist and borderline, fighting for the prize. Poor kid.

3:48 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Joe said...

I'll repost what I posted on Althouse:

I think Alec Baldwin is a smug ass and can't personally stand him as an actor. However, I totally empathize with him on this issue. I can see exactly where he's coming from. For all those passing negative judgment, I assume you didn't have daughter who realized at birth that she could call your bluff.

My scenario is quite simple because I've been there--Alec's daughter gives him the brush off and when asked she says "I forgot, after all I'm only eleven." (And, as she ages, later uses "twelve".) I am so confident in my scenario, I'd put money on it. Again, been there.

(For the record, my bitch child from hell is now nineteen and is almost normal. She's still stubborn and can infuriate me almost beyond belief, but I still love her and actually like her feistyness. I just hope her first child is just like her. Thank God her little sister is the very epitome of goodness, even if a little overly sensitive at times.)

3:56 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Barry said...

I'm a big fan of "30 Rock" (although because of Tina Fey, not Alec Baldwin) but it's going to be difficult watching it knowing the kind of person Baldwin is. Speaking that way on a voice-mail to any child, no matter how manipulative they may be, is utterly inexcusable and vile.

I sympathize with whatever Joe went through with his daughter, but kids learn that behavior from somewhere, and the father's anger is better directed at that source than the child. Venting their spleen at the child is 100x more counterproductive than productive when they are that out of control. That was a personal, adult-to-adult rant. In fact when I heard it this morning on the Today show (I wasn't really paying attention at first and came in on the middle of the voice mail replay) I assumed the daughter Baldwin was yelling at was at least 19 or maybe older. When I got to work, read the story online and realized she was 11 my jaw dropped.

Whatever dispute he and Basinger are having with each other, they need to leave their little girl out of it.

4:01 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Joe said...

but kids learn that behavior from somewhere

The notion that any behavior is learned behavior is one of the weirdest myths in society. Having intelligence means that you are capable of inventing things, including behaviors, yourself.

(I should make clear that it has long appeared to me that both Baldwin and Bassinger are using their kid(s) in their vicious battle with each other. Baldwin does have a reputation for a bad temper, but Bassinger has a reputation for being a dishonest bitch. Still, if we were to start indicting parents for losing their temper with their children, there would be nobody left. Frankly, some kids need harsh language and judging parents for taking that path without knowing the personalities involved is crazy.)

4:10 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Barry said...

I don't believe all behavior is learned, but a lot of it is. Sounds like this little girl learned the basics of how to manipulate Daddy in this way by watching her parents play against each other.

And while a child needs to be disciplined for exhibiting disrespectful behavior, the blame doesn't solely lie with the kid.

4:54 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Melissa Clouthier said...

At 11 years old, Baldwin's problem isn't with his daughter, it's with his ex wife. That he would even think to say those things to his child.... No matter how angry you are as a parent, name calling is completely unacceptable. He called his prepubescent daughter a pig. There is no justification for it.

And how many times did Baldwin say "me"? This war with his ex-wife isn't just about him. Although, I'm sure everything is about him.

This guy has a long history of verbal abuse--well-documented--outside of his personal relationships. That he would turn that anger problem on his own child is horrible.

These custody arrangements where a phone call must happen at a certain time make children hostages. Nevermind that his kid might have had something else to do. The call is about keeping the non-custodial parent within his or her "rights". What about the child's rights?

Was Basinger wrong to release the tape? Yes, well, her daughter's friends and everyone else know what it's like to receive a message from an angry father. So now the daughter is forced into a situation where she must defend her dad. I'm guessing that's nothing new.

4:58 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Barry: "I'm a big fan of "30 Rock" (although because of Tina Fey, not Alec Baldwin) but it's going to be difficult watching it knowing the kind of person Baldwin is."

I didn't know it was a big secret that Baldwin is an ASS.

That said, I had a good friend who's wife carried on an affair with her boss with 3 young boys at home. Needless to say, she became a pro at manipulating the children against their father. That said, my friend didn't berate the children either, and as a result as they've aged they realize the hell that their mother put them through by following her gold digging ways.

5:15 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is zero excuse to talk to your daughter like that. I don't care if the divorce is tough, the daughter is a brat, whatever.
If you are the parent, then act like one and not like a raging 11 year old.

5:32 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, I knew this was going to be a tough call for you, Helen. Whom to berate? I mean, there's always "both". But not taking a side? Well, that's a little difficult for you, isn't it? So, the choice is-- a batshit woman or a man who's a vocal liberal? Argghhh!

5:55 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

6:01 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

dittos to what tmink said.

I don't know about punishment, but the dude could sure use some anger management counselling or parenting classes or something. If he's this over the top about an eleven year old not answering her phone, he's going to stroke out when she's fifteen. (In my experience, most obnoxious age of them all.)

6:33 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some Anon wrote: "Whom to berate?"

Well, you gave your answer to the question: Helen. Is this where you look morally superior? Or where you just look hypocritical? But commenting on the subject at hand, that's just a little difficult for you, isn't it?

Trey

6:47 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger Webutante said...

I couldn't agree with you more.

In every divorce, in every horrendous fight like this, there is reciprocity. I repeat, there is reciprosity, between a husband and a wife. Both are culpable.

I know this from hard-earned experience.

7:52 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger SarahW said...

Alec Baldwin is a loose cannon, an angry man who is currently scaring people on the set of the play he's working on, with tirades and fists through the scenery.

You don't know when or how the tape got to TMZ, but there wouldn't be any tape to embarrass the child, but for Alec Baldwin.

There is no excuse for berating any loved one in that manner, let alone a pre-teen girl...the things he said to her were beyond the pale.

To assume she's a brat who ignores her dad on purpose is giving Baldwin too much credit.

8:14 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Trey, don't behave like a moron.
Both parents are nutters. He obviously is, and as Helen said, if she leaked this to the press, Bassingers doesn't give a whit about her daughter,either.
Pity the kids.

8:20 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thatcher, what are you speaking of? Be specific please. We agree about all your statements after the ambiguous one concerning me being a moron. Read the first comment on the thread, it is mine. Splain this to me Lucy.

Trey

8:57 PM, April 20, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I too feel sorry for the kid.

Just think, her 2 adult role models both make a living playing "dress up."

11:04 PM, April 20, 2007  
Blogger DADvocate said...

Baldwin's harsh words to his daughter aren't justifiable but why wasn't his daughter available for a scheduled phone call? Did Bassinger make sure the daughter wouldn't be available?

Having gone through years of custody battling with my ex, I know how evil and conniving an ex-wife can be. TMink was right with the narcissist and borderline diagnosis. Poor kid. But, I guarantee you that Bassinger is more culpable as Baldwin for the circumstances that led up to this meltdown.

12:44 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

An 11 year old daughter?! Let me repeat, AN 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER!!
It is public knowledge how Baldwin treats those adults with who he disagrees, but this is how he relates to and treats an 11 year old girl? His own daughter? I apologize to anyone here who "understands" Baldwin's position, but this is a further reflection of what a pantload this loser is. If this half-a-man conducts himself by leaving ranting messages on his 11 year old daughter's voice-mail using the following sequential terms, "ass...goddam...damn...ass...shit...crap...goddam...ass...pig...pig" then Kim Bassinger should be given full custody of this child, even if she feeds the kid cookie dough for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Baldwin is a loser, and a dangerous one at that.

1:40 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Parental Alienation Syndrome started right after Kim got pregnant.

She is a narcissistic psychotic bitch, quite capable of using her child as a weapon in her revengeful charade to prove her immaculate vanity.

So many less wealthy men are experiencing the same legally endorsed assaults in their protracted "divorce-never-ends" nightmares!

The bitches never give it up!

Predators to the very end!

(As they were in the beginning... when you failed to notice the inalienable female character defects ...)

Especially if they gave birth to the blackmail certificates.

Women are dream-killers.

Avoid them.

2:15 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 2:15 am

"Women are dream-killers."

It never occured to me this way but to a large extent it is true as far as I'm concerned. I was on a fast career track in my 20's and got blackmailed into a relationship when my girlfriend got pregnant. I could not bear the thought of abandoning my child so I settled for a "stable" job. Coincidentally, my ex-girlfriend had a strong resemblance to Kim and from what I've heard she also suffered from agoraphobia or some sort of anti-social behavior.

3:52 AM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger JJW said...

Props to tmink for the first post.

A narcissist bred with a borderline. The poor kid is going to wind up a psychological Frankenstein monster through no fault of her own.

This stuff only gets noticed when celebrities receive press coverage for it. It goes on all the time. A nutjob's (sorry for use of the technical term) first gambit in a divorce is to use the children as playing pieces. Talk about being dehumanized.

7:16 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Having been in the theater world for some 15 years myself may I point out that Baldwin's rant is so very typical of how actors behave and speak behind the scenes. OF course for economic reasons they put on a show of Clooney's high and mightly liberal Hollywood do-gooders who care about the children, the birds and the trees but in the rehearsal rooms and the green rooms all they do is rant hate. No actor would ever call out another's insane hate rants for fear of being demonized as some uptight puritan who was emotionally stifled by society's norms. Today's actor is trained to reach deep into the vile belly of humanity and let it all hang out, they have no ability for objective reasoning since their empathy is the guiding force and whenever called out they will issue 'I'm sorry' statements in order to attain empathic justification for their hateful rage. As indicated in the some of the posts above this empathy works, surely we know how Baldwin feels so we forgive him.

When I finally left the 'community of NYC artistry' in 2004 I have had to go through some painful moments of de-programming myself from all the hatred I consumed. After I got out from under the bubble I noticed myself indulging in hateful rants because this was the only way I knew how to communicate. Vicious, nasty, hateful demeaning language was so comfortable to my tongue that I was literally unaware of how vicious was my communication. To to this day I still find at the tip of my tongue the madness to today's artistic method.

Shelley stated "the poet is the unacknowledged" and today the poet has literally crafted itself into a Jekyll and Hyde personally.

8:07 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Correction the quote is 'the poet is the unacknowledged legislator' Percy Shelley

8:09 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll also note that our culture holds the artist above reproach simply because they are artists who for narcissistic reasons justify the notion that their creativity cannot be judged. There no longers exists discipline, structure, or objectively necessary to creativity since these things have been programmed as stifling the artistic ability to dig deep in to the bowls of the human condition. Today's artist will always make the excuse that they are merely a reflection of their surrounding, the culure, whereby absolving themselves from having any responsibilty in legislating the masses.

8:23 AM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger Purple Avenger said...

If the state had any sense, they remove the child from both of them. Neither is a fit parent.

10:48 AM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger Troy said...

I think Howard K. Stern is looking for a kid with money about now.

10:56 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is, as yet, no evidence that Basinger released the tape. There is only an assumption, and fueled by the aggressor's, Baldwin's, accusations.

My interpretation of a potential scenarios:
Baldwin has been verbally abusive. The DAUGHTER was nervous and afraid, anticipating the scheduled phone call and the likelihood of an abusive rant (or the bipolar opposite: smothering I-love-you and can't live without you and need you words).

Manipulation by Basinger? Also possible is a wife who has realized she doesn't deserve to be abused like that. (Perhaps a realization from studying the character for the pscyotic movie she backed out of participating inf.) So Basinger simply did not force her daughter to participate in a scheduled phone call. Evidence for this story line: The minimalist statements by her and her attorneys. They are not trying to manipulate the public, but simply stay calm and (yet again) await Baldwin calming down. Maybe he'll learn, maybe he won't; meanwhile, wife and daughter are working throught the court system.

Who released the tape? Equally likely (in fact, more likely) possibilities are a court person who also experience a threatening aside remark(s) by Baldwin. Someone in Baldwin's own attorney staff. Many possibilities. It is my impression that tape had been submitted to the court; therefore, it (or copies) would have been accessible by court staff and probably by both attorney's staff. A staffer, especially a woman staffer, may have been scared of Baldwin and releasing the tape speeds along the court protecting Ireland from him and his self-centric paranoid narcission.

Please give Basinger a bit more benefit of the doubt until/if evidence is explicitly shown that she caused release of the tape.

Some thoughts from an amatuer reader of psych, and survivor of child abuse.

10:58 AM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger Troy said...

But looking from the outside -- it's just as likely that Ireland could be a bratty inconsiderate 11-year old who repeatedly stands up her father's phone dates or appointments or whatever and that he has to inconvenience a lot of people in his line of work to find mutually convenient times given the time difference between East and West coasts. That in no way justifies cursing at her or calling her a pig (though I doubt that needs state intervention without more) -- and Baldwin definitely has a temper, but to knee-jerk that an 11-year old is incapable of pissing off her parents both immensely and intentionally is naive. I heard the voicemail and I heard an ass-chewing that was mean to be sure, but hardly sinister. My Mom told me often she would straighten me out or that I would never do "X" again (fill in the blank on X). I was a defiant child -- who learned not to be so defiant. Sometimes I got my ass chewed, sometimes my Mom said things she regretted (who doesn't?) I survived just fine.

That said -- I don't know who did what and to whom first and the child should get the benefit of the doubt. Who has control of the voicemail? Either Kim or Ireland -- probably Kim if she pays for the plan and the phone. Perhaps a friend made some cash from TMZ. Both parents seem whack jobs in any case

11:13 AM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger Troy said...

Another thing.... If he does that all the time, then Baldwin has problems and I'm not meaning to justify cursing at children or name-calling.

Another thought... would it have sounded as menacing if it were Tom Hanks chewing out his kid or Jerry Seinfeld?

11:19 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's just as likely that the kid was talking or texting with a friend in another screen or and didn't want to dump her message to answer the phone. Or, for that matter, I have quite a few calls that go straight to voicemail without the phone having rung because of signal interference. The kid could have been in the toilet, for all we know. There are any number of scenarios here, yet dad immediately jumps to the conclusion that he's being dissed. If I had gotten a voicemail like that, I'd say it would be very unlikely that I'd return the call.

The other thing I noticed the most about the call was that it was all about him, his inconvenience, his feelings, his rights.

11:42 AM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Paranoid personality examples:
- There are any number of scenarios here, yet dad immediately jumps to the conclusion that he's being dissed.
- The call was that it was all about him, his inconvenience, his feelings, his rights.

The name calling is bad, but the real focus should be the end of the call:
"And when I come out there next week, I'm going to fly out there for the day just to straighten you out ..."

This is threatening language: I'm going to get you. And Baldwin is a physically much bigger person than a petite 11-year old girl.

""Do you understand me? I'm going to really make sure you get it. ... So you'd better be ready Friday the 20th ...."

That phrase, "I'm going to really make sure you get it", should be the headline. Not the name calling. It scares me just to type it.

12:08 PM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger Troy said...

you know you're right.... Looking at the call ... it is intensely "me me me". Sean Hannity last night was gleefully calling it a "terroristic threat" that I focused on what I still feel is a lack of menace or real danger to the call, but it definitely is self-centered.

The real story is that no one knows but those three.

12:23 PM, April 21, 2007  
Blogger SarahW said...

Hey dadvocate,

If Bladwin is in the habit of speaking to his daughter and of his former wife, her mother, with that kind of rip-then-to-shreds fervor (and his public conduct, forget the allegations of private conduct that are known, would tend to support the possibility) the daughter may actually think up reasons she can't pick up the phone, herself.

In this incident alone, he blames everyone but himself for his outburst, and seems to have no insight into the possibility that he might have done some alienating of his own.

Don't excuse his conduct. It's not a good way to advocate for dads.

I guess I'm speaking for the minority, but no way am I for forcing kids to endure that in the name of father's rights.

12:38 PM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've been a little shocked how many people in various discussions of this incident have felt it necessary to apologize for Baldwin's indefensible actions and tone towards a family member. It makes me wonder how they relate to their own family members if they defend his imagined right to such hateful conduct. You don't talk to family that way. Or anyone else with whom you desire a friendly relationship, or any relationship.

I've been on the receiving end of a similar call from a parent, except I heard it live. After about a minute of wholly unwarranted abuse, my patience ran out. I bit out, "Goodbye," and hung up. The perpetrator never apologized, of course. Bullies never do. It's always the victim's fault.

4:28 PM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This should be a voice mail that is made public. You can't hide abuse behind a court order and his wording doesn't make this sound like it was an isolated incident.

7:02 PM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The real shame here is that this might adversely impact Baldwin's quest for higher office someday. Another liberal do-gooder bites the dust? Makes one wonder why bad things happen to good people, (sarcasm.)

9:18 PM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Taking into consideration how much Baldwin has ballooned over the years, calling his daughter a pig is the pot calling the kettle black. Humor! Of course, I'm still waiting for him to leave the country like he promised, if Bush were elected.

That rant was child abuse. A no brainer there. I do not believe anyone who has posted here would allow anyone to talk to their child like that. Part of his duties as a dad is to protect his child from that kind of treatment - not dish it out to her. He threatened his own daughter.

Glad to see anonymous 5:55 PM has, for at least the time being, dropped "boat" from their vocabulary.

9:50 PM, April 21, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is the first time, to memory, that the liberals on this site have taken the side of the male in a custody issue. Oh yeah, Alec Baldwin is a liberal! And by the sound of his 11-year-old daughter's voice mail, quite an outspoken one at that.

12:00 AM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You know, with Richard Gere showing public displays of affection over in India and now Alec Baldwin throwing the word "pig" around during a full scale war against Islamofascism, these liberals are going to get us all killed.

12:10 AM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Women use much harsher language than he did when speaking about men and when speaking to young boys. As a matter of fact feminist dogma dictates that all males are chauvinist "pigs" who are/or will grow up to be "rapists."

Why am I not surprised to see the female Anon here up in arms over these comments, made mainly by women?

Moreover, Baldwin is an extremely ugly custody battle in an increasingly sexist judicial system, biased in the favor of females.

Thus everything he says will "not" be politically correct nor do I expect everything he says to fit the mythical, fairy tale paradigm of the politically correct whom regularly accuse others of so-called crimes they themselves commit.

10:03 AM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sarah wrote: "I guess I'm speaking for the minority, but no way am I for forcing kids to endure that in the name of father's rights."

Sara, count me in that group with you. Father's rights are important to their children when the fathers are right in the head. Good parenting is about good mental health and a modicum of skills and empathy. I am not at all convinced that either of this child's parents have either.

I have lost my temper with my daughter, and it is shameful to me. Once I said "You have been acting like a little shit." She was 12, and I was the one acting like a shit. But I had the morals to know what I did was wrong and the balls to appologize. No cameras, no tapes, just me and my conscience.

Most of us are that way as parents, we fuck up, we appologize and stop fucking up that way. My daughter accepted my appology and asked that I never say that to her again. I have not.

But it is telling, that caught on tape and in full public scrutiny Alex still rails against the woman he married and had children with. Let's face it, he chose to marry her, it is his fault. But realizing he is to blame and accepting fault and responsibility for his actions appears to be beyond him. Even with a publicist and at least a few lawyers.

Amazing.

Trey

10:35 AM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dr Helen says: "if it is found that Bassinger allowed this voicemail to be leaked to the public, she is at least as culpable of psychological abuse of their daughter by pitting her against her father or maybe moreso."

Exactly. Bassinger turned what would have been a private matter into a public spectacle - guaranteeing that her daughter will suffer much worse . If kept private, the relationship might have healed after a time. Now that's much less likely, which perhaps is what Bassinger had in mind.

My ex once called our son a "juvenile delinquent" for jumping on the couch (at age 10). He probably doesn't even remember it today, 10 years later, and gets along with her very well. While I was fully prepared to relate that incident to a judge, I never once reminded my son of it, and would never have considered broadcasting it to the world. This little girl would probably be better off being raised by wolves instead of these two spiteful narcissists.

1:35 PM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alec Baldwin reminds me of Bill Clinton and Kim Bassinger reminds me of a mix between Monica Lewinski and Linda Tripp. Alec and Bill, despite their "bad boy" behavior, are protected as liberal icons...and the Kim-Monica-Lindas are regarded as manipulative, traitor-whores.

The irony is, if Alec Baldwin and Bill Clinton weren't bad to begin with, they wouldn't have to blame their troubles on others. I also realize that this is something of which you could never convince them or their supporters.

2:52 PM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I absolutely agree with briannyc.

(My instincts actually disagree with Jerold Post's analysis of the Bill-Hillary relationship. But I've not tried to fully research it and write out my thoughts, so not ready to comment further. Maybe later, if Dr Helen writes up an main page comment to start the dialogue.)

7:36 PM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My son's father used to call him all sorts of names. I remember having to rebuild my son's self-esteem time and again after each visit or phone call. I would encourage him to show respect toward his father, even though he felt none. To this day they aren't close, but my son feels better about himself knowing he rose above those times and behaved with more maturity than his father was capable of showing. I know my son suffered terribly over his father's insults, but I also know the damage would have been worse had I fed the situation by verbalizing my thoughts and feelings about the matter.

8:06 PM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Anon at 10:03 am does remind us of a good point: a woman can be the verbal abuser. Due to physical size, I think it is less likely that verbal will be accompanied by physical abuse; but it does happen.

I would not generalize it as broadly as that Anon does; not to all women or all feminists. I try to look at cases individually, as I hope judges do also. Only statistics and studies should attempt to learn from generalizing to groups. That Anon perhaps should look into the newer brand of feminism being expressed by ifeminist.com. Read commentary by Wendy McElroy, such as at that site and she comments at FoxNews and at Reason.com. The courts need to look at each case, not assume a bias to the mother but also not pendulum swing towards a father bias either. I do believe in parental rights should be biased higher than the government; citizen rights over Child Protective Services. Some children will unfortunately have a longer time with unfit parents, but I'd rather have a minority of that than good parents unfairly losing their child to the state. This stuff is tough. Glad I'm not a judge having to decide individual cases. I hope judges get training on psychology and stuff.

8:10 PM, April 22, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Another thought... would it have sounded as menacing if it were Tom Hanks chewing out his kid or Jerry Seinfeld?"

I don't know about Seinfeld, but if my dad was Tom Hanks and he left a message like that (minus the ad hominem stuff), my ass would be shaped up well before the message finished rolling.

8:51 AM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What Bassinger is undertaking here is Parental Alienation Syndrome, and it's a frequent tactic used by the custodial parent to manipulate the the feelings of the child for the non-custodial parent. To whit, she put this tirade out there in the public eye and now she's using it as an example to prove to her daughter that her father is a monster by using everyone else's opinion. If I was the judge in this case, I'd have already slapped Bassinger and her "attorney" with orders to cease and desist. I'd also have a long talk with Baldwin to see what, exactly, provoked such an outburst. It's entirely likely that the daughter did something deliberate, possibly encouraged by her mother, to provoke such a tirade.

By the way, weren't these two nutcases supposed to have moved out of the country by now?

Rusty.

10:48 AM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't intellectualize this. I was on the receiving end of similar rants from my father during my teenage years. In fact, my father threw my christmas presents away one year when I didn't get to his condo when he wanted me too. For all wondering why she didn't answer for a scheduled phone call: She's a kid. She's not even a teenager yet. She's being a kid, and part of that is being irresponsible sometimes. It's also rebelling against both your parents and doing what you want. Correction is warranted, raving is not.

For all of you speculating about Kim Basinger's involvement and actions, it doesn't excuse the rant. My mother made mistakes dealing with me and my sister about the divorce too, but we didn't deserve to hear Dad's anger directed at us because he couldn't deal with Mom. By the way, Mom didn't need bash Dad when he did things like that. My sister and I didn't want to be around him or talk to him because of HIS behavior.

Alec Baldwin sounds to involved with his own apparently serious problems to let his daughter be a normal child. To the various men who posted about their daughters not spending time with them, or not calling, two things:

1. Separating from you is a normal part of your daughter's devlopment. Sorry that it makes you mad. She will come back and love you later, regardless of what you say now. You relationship will be better later if you show some maturity now.

2. It's not about you, it's about your daughter. She is not an extension of you to be picked up or called on schedule. Whether 12 or 19, she has a life of her own, and sometimes you come second to it. Get over yourself.

12:36 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"To whit, she put this tirade out there in the public eye and now she's using it as an example to prove to her daughter that her father is a monster by using everyone else's opinion." - Rusty 10:48 AM

To whit, Alec Baldwin has behaved in such a parental manner, that a court has seen it fit to relegate his contact with his daughter to one or two phone calls per week. Whether Bassinger released it or not, this latest documentation proves what the court has thought of Baldwin's abilities as a parent to date, I believe your description was a "monster."

I'm not familiar with "Parental Alienation Syndrome." However, I am beginning to feel that, had someone in Cho Seung-Hui's law enforcement-counseling-campus residency situation been as proactive in releasing information on his dangerous behavior, (as those who have recently released Baldwin's "behind the scenes behavior")there might be more people alive today to talk about it.

12:53 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"She is not an extension of you to be picked up or called on schedule. "

Very good point - and it seems to be lost on Kim Bassinger.

Both of the gamete-donors are acting like movie actors - narcissistic black holes incapable of carrying on any kind of healthy relationship on any level.

"I'm not familiar with "Parental Alienation Syndrome."

You don't seem the type to try to turn your children against their other parent, so this would be unfamiliar. But it's quite real, and quite common.

5:22 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"You don't seem the type to try to turn your children against their other parent, so this would be unfamiliar. But it's quite real, and quite common." - Jim 5:22 PM

Agreed, but Alec v. Kim still seems to me to be a bad example of this type of phenomenon. I am well versed in the anti-social behavior exhibited by Mr. Baldwin for much of his adult life. However, I remain confused by those who claim that Ms. Basinger is "using" her child for custody purposes, rather than protecting her from someone as vile and brutish as Alec Baldwin.

That being said, I am still open to contrary evidence.

6:20 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Basinger has issues, too. I read an article somewhere while waiting for a haircut, where she discussed them with the article's writer.
Neither of them is wrapped tight, and their daughter will pay the price by being as dysfunctional as either of them when not in front of a movie camera.

I mean, not that I'm the perfect individual or anything.

8:12 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Basinger has issues, too. I read an article somewhere while waiting for a haircut, where she discussed them with the article's writer." -br549

If Basinger's "issues" exceed that of numerous anger management episodes, including: the physical assault of a photographer, the physical destruction of another photographer's automobile, the maniacal open call for the stoning of an elected US official and his family on national television, the reported verbal/nearly physical assault against a motorist on the Long Island Expressway (summer of 2004?), the baffling, heated statements directed at Sean Hannity and the storming off of an open mic during a NYC radio program, the photographed verbal dressing down of a NYC Police officer after Baldwin wasn't permitted to enter the Corey Lidle/plane crash site, etc...than I will reconsider my opinion of this case.

However, if Basinger and her daughter Ireland know more about Alec Baldwin's character and his ability to physically and verbally fly off the handle over everyday situations (like missing a phone call) then I give them the benefit of the doubt until this guy Baldwin gets himself some help.

Again, if SOMEBODY had exposed the festering issues involving the VT shooter before he blew up and killed 32 innocent souls, maybe we wouldn't be discussing the number 32 now.

9:01 PM, April 23, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Briannyc,

I see what you are saying - the girl really only has her mother, whatever the mother's flaws, to protect her from her crazy father. That's a fair point.

11:42 AM, April 24, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A pox on both their houses.

4:14 PM, April 24, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268342,00.html

A statement released on her behalf says, "Kim Basinger did not release the voice-mail. Additionally, the voice-mail was not sealed under a court order. Kim did hire security in response to the media attention on her daughter in order to allow Ireland to maintain her regular routine and activities uninterrupted. Everybody is always asking why this custody battle has been going on for so many years, and now they have the answer. The issue is not about Kim or the alleged alienation that Alec constantly refers to, it is about his ongoing aggressive behavior. Kim's sincerest wish is for him to finally address his unstable and irrational behavior so he at some point can potentially create a relationship with his daughter. Until then, Kim will continue to protect and safeguard her child's wellbeing, as any parent would."

11:53 AM, April 25, 2007  
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