Anderson Cooper Watch: Besides Battling Korina Sanchez, CNN Reporter’s Tweet Helps Get Actor Alex Baldwin Suspended from Show for Anti-Gay Slur (VIDEOS & PHOTOS)
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Fresh from his "battle" with Filipina newsreader Korina Sanchez, CNN reporter Anderson Cooper scored another win, this time versus actor Alec Baldwin.
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Mr Baldwin was in the news
, much like Mr Cooper and Ms Sanchez, for controversial remarks. In the case of the Hollywood actor, he had an altercation in Manhattan on Thursday with a photographer and was heard calling the latter "c**ksucking f****t." When his comment became viral on TMZ, the actor insisted he said "fathead" but apologised for first term, insisting he was unaware it is offensive to gays.
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Mr Cooper, even while in the Philippines covering the relief effort for typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) victims, tweeted, calling the actor a liar.
The CNN reporter, who is openly gay and has a gay bar owner-boyfriend in New York City, was actually reacting to a post in The Dish by Dan Savage, which he retweeted, wherein Mr Savage wrote, "Alec Baldwin is a homophobic bigot. But unlike other homophobic bigots, Baldwin doesn't believe his bigotry should be given force of law."
Following the furor that Mr Baldwin created, MSNBC, producer of his late night talk show Up Late, decided not to air the show on Sunday night or next week.
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Mr Baldwin later issued a statement saying, "I did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with my choice of words, but clearly I have - and for that I am deeply sorry. Words are important. I understand that, and will choose mine with great care going forward. What I said and did this week, as I was trying to protect my family, was offensive and unacceptable. Behavior like this undermines hard-fought rights that I vigorously support. I understand 'Up Late' will be taken off the schedule for tonight and next week."
In the case of Mr Cooper's battle with Ms Sanchez, he did not need the cooperation of ABS-CBN, the newsreader's network, in taking her off the air since public opinion was very strong in his favour that the wife of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas decided not to go on air for a few days to let the controversy she created die down on its own.