Alec Baldwin: I Didn’t Punch Photographer

Photos of Alec Baldwin fighting with a photographer surfaced online yesterday but the “30 Rock” actor insists that he did not attack anybody.

Baldwin claims that the photographer started the altercation.

The actor said:

“There was a person in front of me, and he was blocking me, and the [photographer] lunged and he almost hit me in the teeth with the lens of the camera. So, I just pushed the guy away…. But of course [the paparazzi] make it like, they all – my favorite line is John Malkovich’s. He said, ‘They all scream like they’re political prisoners.'”

The actor also used the “how dumb do you think I Am?” defense, claiming that he would never start a physical altercation outside of a courthouse where there are plenty of police officers present.

Baldwin said:

“People think that I’m out there decking photographers willy nilly – nothing could be further from the truth… I mean, I’m in front of a courthouse, the place is crawling with cops. If I’m slugging a photographer out in front of a courthouse – I mean, I’m dumb, but I’m not that dumb. There must’ve been 10 cops right there on the block.”

Baldwin’s rep released a statement saying that the actor didn’t throw any punches and that any physical interaction was merely Baldwin defending himself. The statement reads:

“The photographer was clearly frustrated, pushed past the bystander and assaulted Alec with his camera. There were no punches thrown, and any subsequent physical contact was simply Alec protecting himself.”

No charges have been filed in relation to the incident. You can get the photographers side of the story here.