Alec Baldwin Says 'Goodbye, Public Life'

In a lengthy article that first appeared in February's issue of New York Magazine, "30 Rock" actor Alex Baldwin announces that he is through with "public life."

Does that mean retirement for Baldwin? Probably not... but don't expect to see him popping up on TMZ anymore. Baldwin might even be leaving his beloved New York for the "gated" life of Los Angeles he once hated, driven away from the public eye by continual bad press. Most recently, Baldwin received seriously negative attention after reportedly uttering homophobic slurs.

"I find myself bitter, defensive, and more misanthropic than I care to admit," Baldwin states. "I'm trying to understand what happened, how an altercation on the street, in which I was accused - wrongly - of using a gay slur, could have cascaded like this. There's been a shift in my life. And it's caused me to step back and say, This is happening for a reason."

"I haven't changed, but public life has," the actor goes on to say. "Photographer get right up in your face, my wife's, my baby's. They are baiting you... I know there's an impression that I'm someone who seeks to have violent confrontations with people. I don't. Do I regret screaming at some guy who practically clipped my kid in the head with the lens of a camera? Yes, I probably do, because it's only caused me problems."

The media isn't the only source taking a hit from Baldwin. Many others, including actor Shia LaBeouf (who was hired to work with Baldwin on the play Orphans, only to be fired after he and Baldwin clashed), get their dirty business aired.

"This is the last time I'm going to talk about my personal life in an American publication ever again," Baldwin states. "The heart, the arterties of the country are now clogged with hate."

Will this determination to pull out of the spotlight only make him more of a target?

You can read the full article and all of the grievances aired here.