Should ‘SNL’ Drop Alec Baldwin After Assault Arrest?
Actor Alec Baldwin was arrested Friday afternoon in New York after allegedly punching a man, according to People. Baldwin was taken into police custody following the event. The victim is a 49-year-old man. He was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital after the incident.
According to TMZ, Baldwin has been charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment.
Witnesses say the actor got into an argument with another man about a parking spot. Allegedly, Baldwin punch the other man in the face while screaming an obscenity.
Baldwin lives nearby. The incident occurred near 10th Street and 5th Avenue in New York.
Alec Baldwin famously portrays Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, and makes frequent appearances on the show. He is also the host of a new ABC series, The Alec Baldwin Show, a talk show in which he chats with other celebrities.
He did not speak to reporters when he left the 6th Precinct station house in Greenwich Village on Friday afternoon, NBC News reports.
This is not Baldwin’s first brush with the law. Previously, the actor was arrested in 2014 for disorderly conduct. He was photographed assaulting a photographer in 2013, but was never charged. And in 1996, he was acquitted of a misdemeanor battery charge for allegedly hitting a paparazzi.
Baldwin appeared on SNL as recently as October 14 in a parody of Donald Trump’s meeting with Kanye West.
The actor has denied the charges of assault, saying “I didn’t punch anyone,” according to the Daily Mail.
“They’re out there saying he punched him in the face — I don’t know if that’s necessarily the case,” a police spokesperson said.
SNL has not released any comments about the incident, but Donald Trump has. When asked about the actor, Trump said “I wish him luck.” Donald Trump, Jr. had more to say, calling Baldwin a “piece of garbage” on Twitter Friday.
Trump responds to Alec Baldwin being arrested in New York City for punching a person: "I wish him luck"pic.twitter.com/0jjwppTrFH
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 2, 2018
Opinions on Twitter were wide-ranging, with some making jokes about parking in New York and others condemning Baldwin.
Right after this photo was taken, Alec Baldwin punched me. pic.twitter.com/tspf29tQAp
— Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) November 2, 2018
Alec Baldwin is 60 and has 3 kids under age 5 – so go easy, bc you have no idea how many times he's had to listen to the "Frozen" soundtrack.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) November 2, 2018
Alec Baldwin and SNL have a long history together that dates back to 1990. Baldwin has hosted the program 17 times, the most for any one person (including Steve Martin).
SNL is one show that can definitely stand a little bad PR. Other shows might step back from Baldwin following a high-profile assault and arrest incident such as this one, but the Saturday night skit show is likely to take it in stride.
Most likely, Alec Baldwin will continue to appear on the show as Donald Trump. However, don’t be surprised if someone appears on the show to play Alec Baldwin on Saturday. After all, SNL has always been good at making fun of itself and its own cast members and frequent hosts.
