Liberal actor Alec Baldwin is very impressed with himself, touting his Donald Trump impersonation as comparable to Jonas Salk “curing polio.” CBS Sunday Morning journalist Rita Braver on April 2 stood aside as heaped praise on his own Saturday Night Live appearances. Baldwin cheered, “60 to 75 percent of the people I encounter treat me like I was Jonas Salk and I cured polio.”
Recounting his grandeur, the actor alleged of fans: “They walk up to me and go, ‘My God! Thank you! I can't thank you enough. What you're doing is so important!’” Congratulating himself more, Baldwin explained what a “big deal” his Trump comedy is becoming: “All you have to do is go, make the face, people go hysterical crying. Just suggest the voice. I go, ‘ladies and gentlemen’ and people just cackle laughing. It's become a big deal.”
Braver didn’t ask if the “curing polio” reaction might just be a political one from Democrats. The journalist highlighted the stories in his new book Nevertheless, including his cocaine problem in the ‘80s and leaving a screaming voice mail on his daughter’s phone. However, she didn’t actually ask Baldwin about them.
At the very least, however, Braver did manage to use an ideological label for the actor, tagging him as a liberal: “Baldwin does have another interest: politics. An outspoken liberal, he's toyed with the idea of running for office. Would you ever consider running for president?”
A partial transcript is below:
CBS Sunday Morning
4/3/179:01
JANE PAULEY: Alec Baldwin isn’t the President, but he plays one on TV. He’ll talk about that high profile role with our Rita Braver.
...
9:39
BRAVER: Baldwin says he practices a lot just before he takes the stage.
BALDWIN: I sit in a chair and you think I'm in a mental institution because I'm like— gina, gina, gina.
BRAVER: Have you gotten mostly positive response or do people go after you because they're Trump fans?
BALDWIN: Sixty to 75 percent of the people I encounter treat me like I was Jonas Salk and I cured polio. They walk up to me and go, “My God! Thank you! I can't thank you enough. What you're doing is so important!”
...
9:46
BRAVER: Baldwin does have another interest: politics. An outspoken liberal, he's toyed with the idea of running for office. Would you ever consider running for president?
BALDWIN: No.
BRAVER: You wouldn't?
BALDWIN: No, no, no.
BRAVER: A Baldwin-Trump race would be a lot of fun.
BALDWIN: No but I think it would be a lot of fun. Actually, now that you say that maybe I'll reconsider that. But I have little kids, I would never see them.
...
9:47
BALDWIN: All you have to do is go, make the face, people go hysterical, crying. Just suggest the voice. I go, “ladies and gentlemen” and people just cackle laughing. So, it's become a big deal.
BRAVER: So basically it's pretty good to be you these days?
BALDWIN: It’s very good.
