INFLUENCE AND SANDBOXES

I just got wind of the apparent on-air beef between Sean Hannity and Alec Baldwin. I glanced at Google to read up on it and was pretty disappointed to say the least. I am not a fan of either; one is a bit too right for me and the other is an actor whose movies I typically enjoy but whose politics I don't. Below is the exchange:

HANNITY: Alec, I wanted to give you an official WABC welcome considering you were supposed to come on my program last week and you didn't show up. What happened?

BALDWIN: No, I wasn't supposed to come on your program, Sean Hannity.

HANNITY: No, actually you were supposed to come on the program because a deal was made with your agent that if you were going to come on with Brian, first you'd come on with me.

BALDWIN: I wouldn't dream of coming on your program, Sean Hannity. I'm here with Brian. I'm here with a really talented broadcaster.

HANNITY: [Crosstalk] that you are, you don't tell the truth.

BALDWIN: Why would I want to come on the show with a no-talent, former construction worker hack like you?

HANNITY: Are you the guy that said of our vice president, while we're at war, while we're leading troops in harm's way - are you the reckless, third-rate Hollywood actor who said that Dick Cheney is a terrorist? Are you the guy . . .

BALDWIN: Yes I am.

HANNITY: . . . . who said to stone Henry Hyde to death? Are you the guy who said our president is a CIA mass murderer? I wanted you to come on the program and defend that, you gutless coward.

BALDWIN: At first I thought this was a joke. But you can hear all the acid venom spewing hatred. It is Sean Hannity. [END EXCERPT]

The exchange got even hotter when Mark Levin joined in.

LEVIN: We've only just begun - are you 40 or 50 pounds overweight now?

WHITMAN: Oh, C'mon now . . . .

HANNITY: Once and for all you need to be challenged. You want to call our vice president a terrorist - fine. You want to talk about stoning people to death, say it on my program. If you want to be irresponsible and call our president a mass murderer while he's at war leading troops in harm's way . . . .

BALDWIN: And what are you gonna do about it, Sean Hannity?

HANNITY: You don't have the courage to answer questions.

BALDWIN: And what are you gonna do? And what are you going to do about it, Sean Hannity. If I come on your program, what are you going to do?

LEVIN: He's going to show that you have a two digit IQ - that's what he's gonna do.

BALWIN: What are you going to do?

LEVIN: I just told you - you've got a two digit IQ.

BALDWIN: And who's that - who's your little cabin boy there with you.

LEVIN: I'm not a cabin boy, butt-boy.

BALDWIN: What are you doing there, cabin boy? . . . . I now dub you Sean Hannity's cabin boy.

LEVIN: And you know what you are? You're 'Brokeback Alec.' [END EXCERPT]

The confrontation continued to spiral out of control, with Whitman intermittently trying to make peace and Baldwin repeatedly urging him to move on to other callers.

BALDWIN: Listen, Sean - you incredibly ignorant boob from Long Island . . .

HANNITY: Oh, ouch, Alec.

BALDWIN: No, no, no, you've spoken, let me talk, Sean. Cause you've been spewing your . . .

HANNITY: You're a third rate Hollywood egomaniac.

BALDWIN: You're a no talent ignorant fool from Long Island. You should go back to building houses in Hempstead.

LEVIN: Why was your [former] wife [Kim Basinger] so pissed off at you, anyway?

WHITMAN: Now, c'mon guys.

BALDWIN: OK. We're done. [Gets up and leaves the studio]

WHITMAN: Come back. Come back. Alec? They're gone. Alec? Alec has walked out of the studio. Alec, please come back.

Take a look again; these men are supposed to be pretty influential and may even provide a certain mentorship to burgeoning personalities. I personally don't subscribe to eithers' politics but find this whole exchange ridiculous. Two grown men calling out past wives, calling each other names and even a third party referring to Baldwin as a "butt-boy". Utter tripe. What I find completely inane is the fact that Baldwin called Hannity a "former construction worker hack" as if being a blue-collar worker was an insult.

Grow up kids and try to provide a positive light if for no other reason that potential first-time voters may use what you say to help make educated decisions. This brings "knowing your audience" to a completely different level as this same kind of behavior can be found at nearly any elementary schoolyard. Before jumping to conclusions about some of the content of this very blog, keep in mind that we aren't afforded the means to impress ideas upon people such as these two. Ridiculous.

Minus