Philippine Senator Threatens To Beat Alec Baldwin Over Joke

MANILA, Philippines — Alec Baldwin's joke about getting a Filipino mail-order bride provoked a sharp response in the Philippines, with one senator saying Monday that the "30 Rock" star faces violence if he ever visits.

Baldwin, 51, who is divorced with a teenage daughter, said in a May 12 interview on "The Late Show" with David Letterman that he would love to have more children.

The Emmy-winning actor quipped that he was "thinking about getting a Filipino mail-order bride at this point ... or a Russian one."

Baldwin has been involved in a bitter dispute with his ex-wife, Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger, over custody of their 13-year-old daughter, Ireland.

Philippine Sen. Ramon Revilla said Monday that Baldwin's comment was "insensitive and uncalled for" and an insult to millions of Filipinos.

He called the actor "arrogant" and said he is apparently unaware that the Philippines has a law against mail-order brides.

"Let him try to come here in the Philippines and he'll see mayhem," Revilla said, using a local idiom that implies the speaker will personally administer a beating.

The senator is a former action-movie star who occasionally still appears on Philippine TV.

Comments

[sammyscout]

I'm sure AB knows by now, mail order bride would have been enough, stating the nationality was of no use here and thats where the issue is. It is desperation in such countries that is causing such trends. We have to help those less fortunate than us.

[jenrose]

This is the USA and we have free speech here!! Right to protest, heckle ..etc. Its not allways what you agree with but it is your right to state your opinion and we enjoy our democracy and freedom. We do have our hypocrites too everywhere.

[MorpheusXNYC]

Why didn't they publish my first comment?
My point was, having already had 2 near fatal strokes and bouts in the hospital, the Philipino senator is is no shape to be threatening anyone, least of all Alec Baldwin.

[Ryoki]

I'm so glad to see the American form of government being used in the Philippines. Ain't it great?

[sdelariarte]

I am a Filipino and I understand the kind of poverty and desperation that would push someone to risk being a mail-order bride. These are trying times for everyone and even more trying for the majority of Filipinos.
I am not peeved by Alec Baldwin's comments. He is entitled to his taste in women. However, I am fuming at the do-nothing-good-for-nothing senator who has been a benchwarmer in the senate for more than a decade. Of all the socio-economic, political, not to mention moral challenges facing my country, he somehow woke from his stupor to object to another actor's comments. What really gets to me is the hypocrisy of it all. A devote Catholic, he has actually fathered numerous love children. For him to be indignant about another man's intention to marry a Filipino, while he himself has had extra-marital affairs, is really shameful. Shameful!

[Jigglypuff]

Agreed. Most Pinoy will get Baldwin's attempt at self-deprecating humor and won't take offense at a silly joke. And, Sen. Ravilla does not speak for the whole country, just as that annoying Sen. Michelle Bachmann does not speak for the entire United States.
However, some commenters seem unaware that these "mail-order bride schemes" can be fronts for human trafficking, something the U.S. spends a great deal of tax-payer money, ($76 million in 2008) to fight in several countries, not just the Philippines.

[HerbTee]

Although I agree with you concerning human trafficking of Filipino women by some countries, those acts are more difficult to get away with in the US. I think too many people are taking the misnomer of "mail order bride" too literally without know the US immigration laws for bringing a foreign fiance, fiancee or spouse into the US. Let me tell you, it's not that easy. it's expensive, it's time consuming and can take many months or even a year or more before visas are issued where the couples can finally be together. But it doesn't stop there as there is a 2 year "adjustment of status" period for newly wedded couples to prove to ICE that their marriages are legitimate and not fradulent. Any fraudulent, criminal or abusive behavior occuring during this period can be grounds for refusal of a permanent green card for the foreign spouse. No green card, then no permanent staying in the US unless under very specific circumstances. No green card, then no US naturalized citizenship later.

A Filipina immigrating here to marry or having married a louse of an American husband is one thing. Human trafficking for the purposes of pro sti tut ion, servitude or slave labor is entirely another.

[HerbTee]

My loving and devoted wife of 9 years is a native Filipina from Mindanao and she would 100 percent agree with you about Filipino politicians like Revilla, Jr. Filipino politicians like Revilla and Senator Loren Legarda, with her false outrage of mail order brides along with her mouthpiece the "Gabriela" women's rights group are laughable. They are all pathetic, corrupt, hypocritical jokes and they collectively are the sole reasons why the Philippines is and will likely remain a poor, 3rd World country.

These politicos whine and moan loudly about the rights of Filipino women and how bad it is for them to marry foreign men. But they only do so when they can use foreign men as political scapegoats to publicly cover up their own incompetence, graft and corruption and their failures to legislate and provide better circumstances for Filipinos. They offer no alternatives, so many Filipinos leave the country for better lives elsewhere...sometimes out of desperation. Meanwhile, the rights and treatment of Filipino women within the Philippines are a fraction of what they are in the US or in the majority of Western nations.

[Ron1951]

Let's think about this for a moment. The last Filipino President who was an ex-action hero movie star was thrown out of office by a people power revolt. Anything to avoid dealing with his own country's issues.

I guess Senators from both countries have a lot in common, don't they? Anything to obfuscate real solutions to real problems.

[Okieborn]

I am not a big Alec Baldwin fan !!
But, My Goodness he was joking !!!!

[snoopjohnny]

Not only was he clearly joking, but it doesn't wash that the comment would rationally be interpreted as a jab at the Philippines. This must be an opportunistic media grab on the part of the senator. A more intelligent (and effective PR) remark might've offered Baldwin a visit to the Philippines to see how well women are treated and go on a TV dating show, if he's so desperate.

This angry and inappropriate reaction makes one suspect truth in Baldwin's comment. Or that the senator needs to be in the spotlight at any cost.....

[Usama]

It was self depreciating humor. Meanwhile, the good senator should take back Ms Malkin as a good faith gesture to the Baldwin clan lest they take umbrage from the pugilist affront.

[HerbTee]

As much as I truly despise Michelle Malkin, she was born an American citizen by Filipino immigrant parents. It would be almost impossible for the Philippines to "take her back", although I would love to try. :-)

[Chynna Castillo]

There must be some unwritten rule that you are not allowed to ribbed Filipinos although they're allowed to rib everybody else.

[umannyt]

Hey Chynna, chill down. Your stereotyping and rash generalizations of ALL Filipinos make you just as guilty of the prejudice that you accuse Filipinos of. There are good Filipinos, too. Lots of them, in fact. Just like with any ethnic group. So, your surname is Castillo. Are you a Filipino yourself or Hispanic?

[AGarcia]

No one seems to get that he was making fun of HIMSELF.

[nocoward]

Right

[Sandmanj]

Perhaps Baldwin could arrange for Sen. Revilla to receive a visit from Joe Pesci.

[jenrose]

To tiznow: How are you to be the judge and jury of someones private life as a father, marriage partner. Are you a professional social worker, marriage counselor PHD, MBA? Are you an example of the perfect functional family .. No skeletons in your closet!!!! None of your children or any family members are prisoners!! Your a Harvard Grad??? LOL

[sheeshbrother]

The Baldwins should really only speak when someone else writes the dialogue.

[iblogleft]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[jenrose]

One of the programs on tap before President Obama took office was to outsource and recruit nurses from China and the Phillipines who could work for less money than US nurses. I hope that plan is not happening because if I can't understand what a nurse is saying if I need it I'll be very frustrated. I returned a computer to Dell because their tech support was all from India and no comprede!!

[Jigglypuff]

You can't blame those nurses for going where they are recruited and needed. You can question why there is a need to recruit from abroad.

[icemilkcoffee]

That is simple- for years there has been a shortage of nursing schools in the US. There is no shortage of people wanting to be nurses. Just a shortage of schools to train them.

[icemilkcoffee]

That's been going on for years. There are lots of philipino nurses in the US. Some philipino MD doctors actually become nurses just so they could immigrate to the US. Generally they speak good english.

[Darsan54]

Man, talk about a tough audience.