The View has been bursting with announcements lately.
Shortly after Rosie O'Donnell informed audiences she'll be leaving the morning chatfest in June, it was reported that Alec Baldwin told her and cohost Barbara Walters that he is looking to leave 30 Rock, despite the fact that the low-rated yet critically adored sitcom was just picked up for a second season.
The actor, who won a Golden Globe and SAG Award this year for his role as microwave oven exec turned programming VP Jack Donaghy, said in a pretaped interview scheduled to air Friday that he doesn't want to do television anymore and he has asked NBC to let him out of his contract so that his recent actions don't reflect negatively on the struggling series.
While it's easy to connect Baldwin's seemingly sudden decision to what's been going on in his personal life lately, the Peacock network—which has taken a financial gamble by ordering up another installment of the ensemble comedy—surely doesn't want one of 30 Rock's main attractions flying the coop, regardless.
"Alec Baldwin remains an important part of 30 Rock," a network spokesperson responded in a statement. "We look forward to having him continue his role in the show."
Meaning, he's not going anywhere if NBC can help it. Network officials said last week that what had happened between Baldwin and his family was a personal matter and would not affect his future on 30 Rock.
But Baldwin, who was on The View to further apologize for the angry voicemail he left for daughter Ireland that ended up posted on TMZ.com, said repairing his image in the eyes of his child is all that matters to him right now.
"If I never acted again I couldn't care less," the 46-year-old performer said, according to a transcript released by ABC. "I would like to devote myself to the cause of parental alienation," a subject he says he's writing a book about, based on his experiences as a divorced dad who has struggled with his ex-wife over custody issues.
In what may have been a harbinger of things to come, Baldwin fired his longtime agents Tuesday and parted ways with Creative Artists Agency, which also represents former spouse Kim Basinger.
"Obviously, calling your child a pig or anything else is improper and inappropriate, and I apologize to my daughter for that," Baldwin said, referring to the harsh words he had for the 11-year-old when she missed his scheduled phone call. "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 because I'm unable, under the current dynamic, to address the other person."
A source close to the actor told E! News last week that he had already spoken with Ireland to make amends. He is barred from seeing her in person, however, until a May 4 court hearing on his visitation privileges.
"In my own case, with this message, I had never done this before in my life," said Baldwin, whose apparent hotheadedness made headlines when he punched out a photographer who was trailing him and Basinger home from the hospital after Ireland was born.
As Baldwin's brother Billy would concur, his temper tends to rear its head when family is concerned.
"What people don't understand is that when a man goes through a divorce, there is a fear that your ex-wife is poisoning the well and pitting your own child against you. Alec's attitude and tone reflects that concern," the younger Baldwin bro told People. Baldwin is "a fantastic human being" who "can get hotheaded, but only about really, really important things like family."
Meanwhile, Basinger has denied having anything to do with that recording getting leaked to the press, although Baldwin's legal camp has already pointed the finger at the actress and her attorney.