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Alec Baldwin Says "Parental Alienation" Caused Angry Tirade |
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Written by Richard Dukes
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Tuesday, 01 May 2007 |
Few fathers can live down calling a daughter "thoughtless little pig." But Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has found the perfect excuse for his thoughtless comment - "parental alienation."
Baldwin called his 11-year-old daughter "thoughtless little pig" in an abusive voicemail left on her phone.
The mail was leaked to the media causing frenzy and a public relations nightmare for Baldwin. However The New York Times reported Baldwin was planning to fight his way out of the mess by penning a book about the supposed injustice of being a divorced father.
Baldwin who is divorced from actress Kim Basinger revealed his book plans on ABC's "The View." He also tendered an apology to his daughter.
"Obviously, calling your child a pig or anything else is improper and inappropriate, and I apologize to my daughter for that," he said. "There's nothing wrong with being frustrated or angry about the situation. It's the way you do it, and as people often do in this world, I took it out on the wrong person."
Baldwin said he knew who had leaked the tape to the media. He had also accused Basinger of being behind the leak, but the actress has since denied it. "What you learn in parental alienation is that affection for the alienated parent or loyalty to the alienated parent is portrayed as betrayal of the custodial parent," Baldwin explained on The View.
Parental alienation is a syndrome caused by one parent alienating the other using emotional means. However Baldwin also said he took his frustration on the wrong person hinting that perhaps it would have been better to vent it on someone else?
Baldwin and Kim separated in 2000, but continue to be engaged in a custody fight over Ireland. According to the order issued by judges at the time, Baldwin was to call Ireland between 8am and 8.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It was apparently her failure to receive one scheduled call, which caused the eruption.
Their fight over Ireland has gotten bitter with Baldwin alleging Kim brainwashed Ireland by leaving emotional messages on chocolate wrappers.
Reacting to Baldwin's comments on The View, Basinger's rep released s statement saying, "Kim's sincerest wish is for him to finally address his unstable and irrational behaviour so he, at some point, can potentially create a relationship with his daughter."
Baldwin is currently banned temporarily from having any contact with his daughter. A judge is set to hear the case next week.
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