Alec Baldwin Pokes Fun at American Airlines Incident on ‘SNL’
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After Alec Baldwin was kicked off an American Airlines flight last week, the actor returned to familiar territory this weekend on the set of “Saturday Night Live” to try and make amends and get a few laughs along the way.
Baldwin made a surprise visit to the show on Saturday — his first public appearance since being removed from a flight last week for refusing to stop Playing Words with Friends on his phone.
He appeared on “Weekend Update” with Seth Meyers posing as the “airline pilot” of the flight.
In character, Baldwin issued an “apology” and referred to himself as an “American treasure.”
“I am ashamed at the way he was treated. I mean, what harm would it do to let him keep playing his game…not just any game mind you but a word game for smart people,” he said in character.
Last week, Baldwin said via Twitter that his love for a Scrabble-like iPhone game got him “reamed out” and forced off the American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New York.
Baldwin’s rep said the dispute with American escalated to the point that the “30 Rock” star was asked to leave the plane.
Later in the week, the actor apologized to his fellow passengers but not the airlines in a Huffington Post article.
“It was never my intention to inconvenience anyone with my ‘issue’ with a certain flight attendant,” Baldwin wrote in article posted on the Huffington Post.
American Airlines responded after being blasted by Baldwin.
“Since an extremely vocal customer has publicly identified himself as being removed from an American Airlines flight on Tuesday, Dec. 6, we have elected to provide the actual facts of the matter,” the airline posted on its Facebook page. “This passenger declined to turn off his cell phone when asked to do so at the appropriate time.”
“The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seat belt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane’s lavatory. He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked,” American wrote.
The airlines said after flight attendants were asked to check on the situation, “the passenger was extremely rude to the crew, calling them inappropriate names and using offensive language. Given the facts above, the passenger was removed from the flight and denied boarding.”
ABC News’ Rob Nelson and Sheila Marikar contributed to this report.
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People like Baldwin think they can get away with not following procedure/rules. He’s a pompous ass and has shown over and over again how rude and inconsiderate he is. His comments re the attendants was out of place and shows how ignorant and abusive he is. Shame he didn’t leave the country when GWBush was elected … I would have contributed to his fare.
Posted by: martha skinner | December 11, 2011, 9:26 am 9:26 am
ABC “NEWS” -a liberal hollywood jerk on a liberal NYC unfunny show. I bet it was hilarious to all the other passengers and families who had their flight screwed up because of this 1% jerk.
Posted by: john | December 11, 2011, 9:32 am 9:32 am
AAs should introduce a Scum Tax for those of Baldwin’s ilk.
Posted by: Joe Drager | December 11, 2011, 10:07 am 10:07 am
You know the national press is in trouble when the editor and/or the writers fail to catch grammar errors. As an example, take the headline above…”Alec Baldwin Pokes Fun of American Airlines Incident on ‘SNL’ ” I should be Alec Baldwin MAKES Fun of American Airlines…or Alec Baldwin Pokes Fun AT American Airlines On ‘SNL’.
Small thing? Perhaps, but sloppy, or a sign of lack of education and understanding of the language.
Posted by: Phocus | December 11, 2011, 10:16 am 10:16 am
I believe in free speech…. but. This man does not know when to shut up. Another episode of a screwed up celebrity’s issues splayed out for all to see.
Posted by: Michael | December 11, 2011, 10:46 am 10:46 am
I love him.
Posted by: Malkav | December 11, 2011, 11:41 am 11:41 am
when liberal democrats wise up to the stupidity of baldwin, there is hope
Posted by: Don Gervais | December 11, 2011, 11:57 am 11:57 am
Phocus is absolutely right. Check out the errors on Mediaite, too.
Posted by: patterson stone | December 11, 2011, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
It was not fun at all. Mr Baldwin was simply disrespectful of a company that was doing its job correctly through its employees. Mr Baldwin, do you understand the term “Maturity”? If you do, then use it.
Posted by: Mark | December 11, 2011, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Only in stupid America a person can be kicked off a flight for having an Ipad on. Wasn´t it possible just to ask him to switch it off?
Posted by: Angel | December 11, 2011, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Another example of the haughty left that looks down on the working class people.
Posted by: JLsmith | December 11, 2011, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
It’s amazing the amount of passengers that just dim the cell phone screens (instead of switching the phone off) when required by the cabin crew.
I think they are just addicts to these gadgets. They are simply sick people. And make me sick. It’s not only that this could be a risk. It’s a proof that they don’t care about any instructions or command that is given to them.
Posted by: Dwarfy | December 11, 2011, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm
Not a “treasure” but a “JERK.”
Posted by: jonnie | December 11, 2011, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
Too caught up in his own importance to be concerned with others. A true Hollywood person.
Posted by: Bob Scheibe | December 11, 2011, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Baldwin comes across like he needs anger management in a serious way. He has for years. Jerk isn’t attractive.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | December 11, 2011, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
It’s a pathetic sight that this buffoon needs to run to SNL in order to get support and attention. NYC deserves this guy as Mayor.
Posted by: Kevin | December 11, 2011, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
Alec Baldwin can be so funny and has such a great sense of humor. It’s too bad he couldn’t draw on his sense of humor when on the airplane. At his age he should know there’s a lot of ridiculousness in life and that a person just has to laugh at it sometimes.
Posted by: shyvare | December 11, 2011, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
He may need anger management, but he’s funny and the SNL piece was a hoot.
Posted by: Cassandra | December 11, 2011, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
Funny skit. Last flight that I was on they had same incident.
The attendant had a problem with guy playing a game. He said, I don’t think,
the plane will go down while I am ending the play. He was very persistent.
The altercation lasted awhile, and, she was about to call for the Captain, and then he gave in.
How can you get so obsessed with that four by two.
Posted by: Serena | December 11, 2011, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
He has always been, smug, overated, a***ole.
Posted by: Luke Warmwater | December 11, 2011, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
Alec is a typical liberal,angry at the world for no reason and expects everyone to bow to him. Go f yourself you fat slob.
Posted by: j. | December 11, 2011, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
he has no respect for anyone other than his own inflated ego self. try thinking of the widows of 9/11 the next time you think the TSA rules and regulations don’t apply to you. they had their loved ones ripped from their lives, and the world changed. either change with it or go live on mars mr. baldwin. you are a self-absorbed, egocentric a** and if you showed just one moment of care and concern for others through charity work we could probably overlook this – but you don’t. you continue to open your mouth before engaging your mind (if there even is one) and spew your liberal crap … acting as if the liberal way is the only way. it’s not – get over it – some of us respect our country enough to follow the rules even when we find them annoying.
Posted by: independentthinker | December 12, 2011, 6:56 am 6:56 am
He is your typical top 1% fat-cat liberal ! People like him get a break from the mainstream media, and most of his ilk just laugh it off ! But, I bet if you ask him, he feels sorry for us lower class peasants and feels your pain !!!! TYPICAL FILTHY RICH HYPOCRITE DEMOCRAT !!!!
Posted by: DUH | December 12, 2011, 7:25 am 7:25 am
So I guess this clown coming on SNL and making fun of himself is supposed to make up for his asinine behavior. This jackass clearly needs some counseling.
Posted by: rubblebubblecake | December 12, 2011, 8:31 am 8:31 am
Baldwin is like a 3 year old throwing constant temper tantrums. The guy is one long running, slobbering, joke. If I was that airline, I would simply challenge him publically to never fly my airline again. They would probably pick up more business if they did that. :lol:
Posted by: jstate83 | December 12, 2011, 11:29 am 11:29 am
The skit was hilarious.
It appears that most people including ABC missed the gest of the skit. Alec Baldwin was making more fun of himself than anybody else.
Posted by: domrich | December 12, 2011, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
Only in stupid America a person can be kicked off a flight for having an Ipad on. Wasn´t it possible just to ask him to switch it off?POSTED BY: ANGEL | DECEMBER 11, 2011, 2:13 PM 2:13 PM
They did more then once, but if you believe your above everone and requests by the flightcrew are for everyone else but you, then don’t complain.
Posted by: Lizzie | December 12, 2011, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
I like Alec Baldwin. Sure, his politics tend to run counter to mine and he’s got a bit of a short fuse (to say the least). But by the same token, he can be funny, he’s able to laugh at himself and can be self-deprecating. However, I think that he, along with SNL, went too far on this issue. This just came off as arrogant and mean-spirited and I think it will back-fire on him.
Posted by: Diane | December 12, 2011, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
American Airlines is an awful airline.
Posted by: Bea | December 12, 2011, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
why doesn’t this site just allow comments to auto-post like other sites? you have to inspect each comment with a jeweler’s eye loupe before stamping your arbitrary approval?
Posted by: Zzzzzz | December 12, 2011, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
“He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked,”! That is amazing! I didn’t quite understand how hard that door was slammed when they mentioned hearing it with the cockpit door being closed… but it was locked also? Wow… that was loud! Grrr… that Alec really needs to fly with me from now on. We will be drunk and passed out before the plane leaves the ground
Posted by: Shannon | December 16, 2011, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm