The New York Post is reporting that Alec Baldwin is not welcome back to MSNBC. Network insiders tells the Post that Baldwin’s work ethic, temper, and complaints about the “dry air” at 30 Rock might be enough to make his two week suspension permanent.
Sources exclusively tell us that MSNBC chiefs are not exactly falling over themselves to get boisterous Baldwin back in the building. One insider said, “He would only show up at work an hour a week to prep for the show, and when he did turn up, he was in an angry mood, red-faced, and shouting at all the staff. And he said the air at 30 Rock was too dry, it was bad for his voice, he needed a humidifier.”
Last night on the red carpet for “CNN Heroes,” Piers Morgan told TVNewser, “I happen to like the guy, I don’t think he has a homophobic bone in his body. I just think he has a temper, and he just gets enraged when he sees these photographers chasing after his wife and baby.” That’s in contrast to the feeling Morgan’s colleague Anderson Cooper holds for Baldwin.
As for the suspended MSNBC host, a spokesperson tells the Post: “Every episode of ‘Up Late’ has beaten CNN and increased MSNBC’s audience in the time slot. Alec has been dedicated to developing ‘Up Late’ and spent hours each week in production. He’s got great ideas and has a collaborative relationship with the staff.”