Alec Baldwin's 'hilarious' SNL spoof of his airplane controversy
Bitter after getting ejected from an American Airlines flight, the 30 Rock star dresses as a pilot and issues a tongue-in-cheek apology... to himself

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The video: On this weekend's Saturday Night Live, Alec Baldwin apologized to himself… sort of. The celebrated funnyman, who has hosted the venerable late-night sketch show more times than anyone, made a cameo during Saturday's Weekend Update segment, addressing the headlines he made last week after getting booted off an American Airlines flight for refusing to stop playing the game Words with Friends on his cell phone. (Watch the video below.) In the sketch, Baldwin plays fictional American Airlines pilot Capt. Steve Rogers, who issues a tongue-in-cheek apology to "American treasure" Alec Baldwin. When Weekend Update host Seth Meyers leans in and asks, "Alec, are you sure this is the right way to handle this?" Badwin-as-Rogers plows on: "I am ashamed of the way he was treated." Clearly, Baldwin-as-Rogers says, the 30 Rock star knew airlines' no-cell-phone rules are bogus. "Alec Baldwin was just too smart for us. He really is something, Seth."
The reaction: Sure, Baldwin has had his share of public tantrums, says Jenna Busch at Zap2it, "but he certainly knows how to handle the aftermath." It's like they always say: "Make 'em laugh and the public will forgive you for almost anything." Yes, Baldwin nailed "the argument against mobile devices in the air right in the heart" with his "hilarious" quips, says Jeanne Sager at The Stir. But it's time to give this whole affair a rest. It's been nearly a week, and Baldwin is still whining about getting kicked off a flight when he was the one breaking the rules. "We really wish he would just sit down and shut up." See for yourself:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.