Alec Baldwin Smacks Around Paparazzo

Perhaps he has less patience with his personal space being invaded now that he is about to become a married man. Whatever his reasons (although does he really need one other than it being extremely annoying to have a camera shoved in your face?), Alec Baldwin is making headlines for allegedly “assaulting” a photographer yesterday.

To his credit, it’s not like Alec was just walking down the street looking for photographers to abruptly invade his personal space. Actually, it was the other way around. Alec was leaving the New York City Marriage License Bureau, after applying for his marriage license with fiancée Hilaria Thomas, when a New York Daily News photographer jumped at him with his camera.

According to Alec’s tweet later, “A 'photographer' almost hit me in the face with his camera this morning. #allpaparazzishouldbewaterboarded"

The 54-year-old actor’s representative, Matthew Hiltzik, explained the situation to E! News: “As Alec and his fiancée were leaving City Hall, a ‘civilian’ walking in front of Alec positioned himself to obstruct the view of a photographer aggressively trying to shoot the couple. The photographer was clearly frustrated, pushed past the bystander and assaulted Alec with his camera. There were no punches thrown, and any subsequent physical contact was simply Alec protecting himself.”

The annoyance and frustration of the encounter stayed with Alec all day, and he tweeted his feelings. He referenced the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman when he tweeted, “I suppose if the offending paparazzi was wearing a hoodie and I shot him, it would all blow over…”

He also later tweeted, “The photographer who assaulted me has (belatedly) gone to a hospital claiming injuries. Colin Myler and his NOTW scams come to NY…” 

I have to feel for Alec, having the exciting day of getting his marriage license ruined like that. He made a good point with his final tweet on the subject; “Ppl who work in the entertainment industry keep appts w the press on a regular basis. Paparazzi assaulting you on the street duznt count.”

Alec is a star of various talents, but he is most currently known for his hilarious role as Jack Donaghy on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. His performance on the show has garnered him two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards. Prior to his television success, he starred in films such as Beetlejuice, The Hunt for Red October, The Marrying Man, The Shadow, The Aviator, and The Departed.