Alec Baldwin's stint as a political talk show host has ended just six weeks after it began. The former 30 Rock star has always been politically active and signed up to do a show, Up with Alec Baldwin. However, after he was caught on tape making homophobic slurs at a paparazzo, the show was put on a two-week hiatus and eventually got cancelled. Baldwin is claiming he quit, while the New York Post is saying he got fired. No matter who wins the he-said-they-said, one thing's clear: The show is done.
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"We are jointly confirming that Up Late will not continue on MSNBC," the network said in a statement. "We wish Alec all the best."
While this is probably just a minor career setback for Baldwin, what does it mean for all the people who MSNBC hired to work on the show? Is it back to square one now? The network heavily recruited for the show, placing ads for multiple positions, including a video producer and a segment producer. Will they be shuffled around and given other homes at the network, or will they be joining the unemployment line? Six weeks may not even be enough time for the first round of paychecks to clear.
Though six weeks — only four of which were actually on the air — doesn't seem long for a TV show, Baldwin still managed to best several other short-lived programs. The attempted TV reboot of Charlie's Angels, which starred Minka Kelly, made it four episodes before getting cancelled. A reality show about David Hasselhoff and his wacky family lasted two episodes (which both aired on the same night!) before being banished to TV purgatory.
And, talk shows are a risky gambit, even for people who are already famous. Chevy Chase's late-night talk show held out for five weeks before being cancelled in 1993, while Fran Drescher only held out for four episodes before being pulled. Earlier this year, Kris Jenner had a six-week trial run for her self-titled talk show, but despite the world premiere of a baby North West photo, the momager couldn't keep her show on the air.
Luckily for Baldwin, he's got a woman to support him. His wife, Hilaria, a former yoga instructor, is now a correspondent for Extra. Considering he just threatened to give up his career completely, it looks like he'll be free to stay home with the couple's newborn daughter.
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