In a video posted on TMZ Thursday, Alec Baldwin — in what's become typical Alec Baldwin fashion — insulted, stomped after, and generally tried to intimidate a paparazzo who attempted to photograph the MSNBC host, his wife, and their newborn in New York City.
Before driving off, Baldwin called the photographer a "cocksucking fag," according to TMZ, which also published enhanced audio of the incident. This wouldn't be the strangest thing to come out of Baldwin's mouth; in June, he lashed out against Daily Mail gossip writer George Stark, calling him a "little bitch" and "toxic little queen."
"If [sic] put my foot up your fucking ass, George Stark, but I'm sure you'd dig it too much," one of Baldwin's tweets read.
But on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, the actor denied using the word "fag," and threatened to sue TMZ for reporting that he did.
If @TMZ asserts that I used an anti-gay epithet, I will sue them.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
If @TMZ asserts that I used an anti-gay epithet, I will sue them.
Acoustic analysis proves the word is fathead. Fathead.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
Acoustic analysis proves the word is fathead.
Fathead.
Anti-gay slurs are wrong. They not only offend, but threaten hard fought tolerance of LGBT rights.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
Anti-gay slurs are wrong. They not only offend, but threaten hard fought tolerance of LGBT rights.
But right wing liars want those words to come out of liberals mouths. They need them to.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
But right wing liars want those words to come out of liberals mouths.
They need them to.
One unintended consequence of this type of thing is that I get to block so much of that right wing trash that vents here.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
One unintended consequence of this type of thing is that I get to block so much of that right wing trash that vents here.
I know that @TMZ would go to any lengths to bury me. But, try again.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
I know that @TMZ would go to any lengths to bury me. But, try again.
I'm grateful to all of the ppl I meet + hear from who recognize that I would never say something to offend my friends in the gay community.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
I'm grateful to all of the ppl I meet + hear from who recognize that I would never say something to offend my friends in the gay community.
The gay community didn't exactly buy Baldwin's defense, claiming his use of "cocksucking" — which is clearly audible in the tape — is still derogatory.
Mr. Baldwin can’t lend his support for equality on paper, while degrading gay people in practice.
GLAAD
@glaad
Mr. Baldwin can’t lend his support for equality on paper, while degrading gay people in practice.
It's clearly time Mr. Baldwin listens to the calls from so many LGBT people and allies to end this pattern of anti-gay slurs.
GLAAD
@glaad
It's clearly time Mr. Baldwin listens to the calls from so many LGBT people and allies to end this pattern of anti-gay slurs.
BuzzFeed's Kate Aurthur reached out to Baldwin on Twitter to ask if he did indeed use the alleged slur. He replied, "Do you hear that on a tape? Or you are told that by TMZ?" and then unfollowed and blocked her. MSNBC has not yet responded to Aurthur's request for comment.
UPDATE — 7:08 p.m. ET
Baldwin maintains that "cocksucker" wasn't intended as "anti-gay."
If c'sucker offends, then I apologize. Anti-gay? Never.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
If c'sucker offends, then I apologize.
Anti-gay?
Never.
UPDATE — 11:19 p.m. ET
Baldwin tweeted that he learned from GLAAD's vice president of communications that "cocksucker" has homophobic implications, and apologized for using it.
1-Rich Ferraro from @glaad informs me that c'sucker is an anti-gay epithet. In which case I apologize and will retire it from my vocabulary.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
1-Rich Ferraro from @glaad informs me that c'sucker is an anti-gay epithet.
In which case I apologize and will retire it from my vocabulary.
2- you learn something new every day.
ABFoundation
@ABFalecbaldwin
2- you learn something new every day.