Ireland Baldwin Defends Dad Alec, ‘Far from Homophobe’
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Dan MacMedan/WireImage(NEW YORK) — Ireland Baldwin is coming to the defense of her father Alec Baldwin, who is under fire for allegedly yelling a homophobic slur at a paparazzo last week.
While her father was laying low after his latest rant was caught on tape Friday and MSNBC suspended his late-night talk show for two weeks, Ireland took to Twitter over the weekend to show her support.
“For someone who has battled with anger management issues, my dad has grown tremendously. My dad is far from a homophobe or a racist. From what you’ve read and from what media has been shoved down your throats, he has a kind heart,” Ireland wrote in a series of Twitter messages. ”My point being, what my dad said was WRONG. What my dad felt WASN’T.”
Ireland said the paparazzi share some of the blame for her father’s outburst, which occurred just after a woman stalking him was sentenced to 210 days in jail.
“Boundaries have to made. Paparazzi have jobs to do, but some of them jeopardize people’s lives and cross a line,” she wrote. “My dad has an INFANT CHILD to protect. All the parents out there should understand. You would do anything to protect your baby.”
She also called on the public to be more understanding of her dad’s behavior.
“Sometimes we let our tempers get the best of us,” she explained. “Tempers are like wildfires. Something or someone can easily fuel the fire.”
“It takes a lot of strength and SUPPORT for someone to grow and become a…better person,” she continued. “We all say things we don’t mean. We all say things we can’t take back.”
The 18-year-old model knows that all too well, having been called a “rude thoughtless pig” by her father when she was 11 and he was in the midst of his custody battle with her mother Kim Basinger.
Father and daughter have come a long way since then.
“Now, let’s all quit acting like children. Let my dad be and let him have his room to learn and enjoy his family,” Ireland wrote on Twitter Saturday.
She concluded with, “As someone very wise once said, ‘Be peaceful and love everyone.’”
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