Up Late has come to an early end. Alec Baldwin's MSNBC show has been canceled in the wake of his recent gay slur controversy, reps for both the network and Baldwin confirm to Us Weekly. (Page Six was first to report the news.)
"We are jointly confirming that Up Late will not continue on MSNBC," the reps said. MSNBC added: "This is a mutual parting and we wish Alec all the best."
The news comes less than two weeks after the 30 Rock alum made headlines for directing a gay slur at a paparazzo in New York City. Video surfaced in mid-November of the outspoken star allegedly using the phrase "c–ksucking f-g," though he later claimed on Twitter that the second word he said was "fathead." In any case, the incident resulted in the suspension of his MSNBC show, Up Late With Alec Baldwin.
"I would like to address the comments I made this past week," the 55-year-old Emmy-winning actor wrote in a statement on his show's website on Friday, Nov. 15. "I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have — and for that I am deeply sorry."
"Words are important. I understand that, and will choose mine with great care going forward," he added. "What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support. I understand 'Up Late' will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week."
Baldwin's show was supposed to return with a new episode on Nov. 29, but The Hollywood Reporter says the episode will not air. Tellingly, Baldwin wrote in a blog for the Huffington Post that he had doubts about his future at the network. Find out what other TV shows flopped this season.
"Whether the show comes back at all is at issue right now," he wrote on Nov. 16. "But if the show dies, its fate ends up being no different than the vast majority of startup TV programming, and so be it. We do take a small amount of pride in knowing that we beat CNN in the ratings each of our nights. (I forget who they had on at that time.)"
