Legendary actor and professional mood-swing sufferer, Alec Baldwin is in trouble after he featured on The Late Show with David Letterman which is on our screens tonight. The show ACTUALLY took place in The States on the 12th, but it’s only right that we get it a week late. I mean, shit, did you expect it to be LIVE? Whaaah! You’re hilarious!

Alec “Awesome” Baldwin

So anyway, Baldwin really blew it this time, and is in the dwang with the Philippine government over a joke he made about getting a Filipina mail-order bride.

This, from News24:

Manila – The Philippine government on Tuesday said it was demanding a formal apology from Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin over a joke he made about getting a Filipina mail-order bride.

The joke, made during an interview on May 12 with US talk show host David Letterman, had sparked outrage among politicians and Filipinos around the world, the government said.

Manila’s consul general to New York, Cecilia Rebon, had been asked to send a letter to the producers of the show and to Baldwin “to express deep concern over the derogatory remark”, the foreign department said.

“The consulate shares the sentiments expressed by many others that although said in jest, the remarks displayed insensitivity and tactlessness,” the department said.

In the interview, Baldwin told Letterman he was “thinking about getting a Filipina mail-order bride… or a Russian”.

“I don’t care, I’m 51,” said Baldwin, who is divorced from Oscar-winner Kim Basinger.

“Get one for me, for later,” Letterman replied to laughter from the audience.

The interview has been widely circulated on the video sharing site YouTube, causing outrage among the huge Filipino diaspora.

At least three members of the Philippine Senate have also demanded that Baldwin publicly apologise, stressing that the mail-order bride business was outlawed here.

“Incidents of mockery against our race happen again and again. Again and again we must not fail in our strong condemnation and resounding assertion of our dignity,” said Senator Loren Legarda.

“Let us make it clear to the world: Filipino women are not for sale. Not even for sale to Hollywood actors,” she said.

Baldwin is the latest foreign actor to have made a gaffe about Filipinas. In 2007, the producers of the top-rated Desperate Housewives show apologised after one the lead characters played by actor Teri Hatcher put down Filipino doctors.

[more here]

Gee whiskers – it’s all getting pretty heated.

I took the liebies of investigating Filipino brides online, to see what all the fuss was about. I found the website www.filipino-girls.com which featured this lovely young lady:

She seems pretty cool..

Now I understand the appeal for guys like Baldwin and Letterman. And yet I do also understand the anguish for countries and governments like The Philippines. I tried to find “South African mail order brides” but it doesn’t look as though there is much demand for our angels. Fair enough.

I’ll end off this stunning little article with me, miming a genuine voicemail message that Alec Baldwin left on his daughter’s phone.

[thanks george]