Alec Baldwin supports New York Daily News staffers — years after punching one: ‘Chef’s kiss’

Once the foe of the press, now he’s their supporter. 

On Thursday, Alec Baldwin, 65, showed solidarity with New York Daily News staffers during their walk-out  – over a decade after he punched a staffer. 

The Daily News employees walked out to protest hedge fund owners Alden Global Capital, who “shrink the budget to fill their pockets.” 

During this unprecedented work stoppage, employees got an unlikely supporter when Baldwin — who has gotten into frequent physical altercations with the press — showed up to talk to and support them. 

NPR joked about him showing up, and sure enough, he did.

“And for the listeners. It’s Thursday morning when this is dropping. How can they support? … I know there’s a picket,” Katie Honan said on the program.

“People do want to come out. Alec Baldwin, if you are listening — come out and support. I know you’re having a rough time, but come out and support.” (Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter Jan. 19, for the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on his film “Rust.” If convicted, Baldwin could face 18 months in prison.)

In video footage of Baldwin on Thursday, he can be seen standing on the sidewalk wearing glasses while talking to a staffer on camera.

“I want you to post this,” Baldwin said. “The whole idea being, for people who are laymen and don’t understand these contracts, what’s the No. 1 and two and three beef? What do you want, what are they taking away? What’s the hot topic? See, I’m a journalist! I’m saying ‘hot topic!’ ” Baldwin said, laughing. 

The staffer he was talking to replied, “Ultimately, it’s about fair pay and a sense of job security. They want to give our jobs away to freelancers, you never know if you’re going to have a job tomorrow … then they don’t pay you a living wage in New York City, this is one of the most expensive cities in the world.” 

“Yep, I know,” Baldwin interjected. 

The staffer continued, “It’s not like we’re a newspaper in the middle of Kentucky somewhere…”

Baldwin cut in and said, “Assistants and people who work with me – we’re always mindful, there’s a floor we have to pay them.”

One reporter posted the footage on X and added the comment, “Alec Baldwin on the picket line with Daily News staffers is chef’s kiss, 12 years after he punched a News photog in the face.” 

In 2012, Baldwin allegedly punched Daily News photographer Marcus Santos outside the city’s marriage license bureau in downtown Manhattan after Baldwin and his then-fiancee (and now wife), Hilaria Baldwin, went to pick up their marriage license. 

He’s also had a slew of altercations with the press in the past, including an incident where he hurled a homophobic slur at a photographer, causing MSNBC to cancel his short-lived “Up Late” show.

In 2013, the hot-headed “30 Rock” alum shoved New York Post reporter Kevin Fasick. Baldwin also ranted at him, “You don’t want to have a problem do you? Don’t get next to me. Take a walk pal. You don’t want to get hurt…You’re a fat middle-aged guy!”

That same year, Baldwin allegedly called a black Post photographer a racial epithet, a “crackhead” and a “drug dealer” during a confrontation on an East Village street, prompting police to intervene.

Baldwin was approached by a Post reporter while walking his dogs outside his East 10th Street apartment, where he was asked for comment on a lawsuit against his wife, about her work as a yoga instructor.

Baldwin grabbed Post reporter Tara Palmeri by her arm and told her, “I want you to choke to death,” Palmeri told police, and played a recording of the conversation.

And now, Baldwin is standing with Daily News staffers, telling them that their cause is important for “people to understand.” 

Maybe he’s following the advice of his own “30 Rock” character, Jack Donaghy, who said on the NBC comedy, “What do we elites do when we screw up? We pretend it never happened and give ourselves a giant bonus.”