Top TV and film actor Alec Baldwin has posted an open letter to GLAAD and the greater gay community sincerely apologizing for ‘questionable’ comments he made recently about a UK Daily Mail journalist.

Last week Alec Baldwin launched a very vocal and public attack via social network Twitter on George Stark a Daily Mail reporter calling him a “toxic little queen” and urging his followers to “straighten out this fucking little bitch.”

Alec’s anger came in response to a factually incorrect article by Stark in the UK’s top selling tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail. The article Stark penned accused Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria, of sending tweets about smoothie recipes and a wedding anniversary during the funeral of Sopranos star James Gandolfini.

Baldwin let fly with a string of tweets calling Stark a “lying little bitch.” He also threatened violence against Stark, writing: “I’m gonna find you, George Stark, you toxic little queen, and I’m gonna fuck…you…up.”

In the open letter to GLAAD, sent to the organisation and posted on the actor’s website, Alec Baldwin said his comments were “ill advised”, and had “absolutely nothing to do with issues of anyone’s sexual orientation.” He wrote: “My ill-advised attack on George Stark of the Daily Mail had absolutely nothing to do with issues of anyone’s sexual orientation. My anger was directed at Mr Stark for blatantly lying and disseminating libellous information about my wife and her conduct at our friend’s funeral service. As someone who fights against homophobia, I apologize.”

“I have worked, periodically, with numerous marriage equality organizations, especially over the past couple of years, to achieve the very rights that gay couples are earning by recent court decisions. I would not advocate violence against someone for being gay and I hope that my friends at GLAAD and the gay community understand that my attack on Mr Stark in no way was the result of homophobia.”

GLAAD Vice President of Communications Rich Ferraro replied to the apology saying ”Alec Baldwin is making it clear that the intent behind his tweets does not excuse his language, especially at a time when there were 11 incidents of violence against gay men in New York City just last month. As we all work to end such senseless acts of violence, allies like Baldwin are right to use these moments to reinforce support for the community and LGBT equality.”

The Daily Mail newspaper however is often dubbed the Daily ‘Hate’ Mail by gay rights campaigners because of its rancid homophobic editorial style, content and campaigns against equality. Many of its writers rely little on fact and are known for ’embellishing’ the truth by incredible amounts to create stories, articles and features. Hilaria, who is pregnant, didn’t even have her phone with her at the funeral of their friend, so it would have been impossible to tweet from it.

 

 

I wonder if a gay actor had made the same remarks about the dodgy hack would they also stand accused of being homophobic?