Perhaps you’ve heard the news, but Alec Baldwin is a nutbag. We all love him as Jack on 30 Rock, but the fact remains that he’s clearly been a bit off-kilter since that whole daughter voicemail incident.

The most recent occurence of this is his quote in the New Yorker where he goes off on My Name is Earl and Scrubs, saying (among other things) that the shows are “cooked” and “done.” Of course, he caught hell from NBC and they forced him to apologize.

“My apologies to the cast and crews of My Name Is Earl and Scrubs. In my frustration with NBC’s reprehensible promotion of 30 Rock, I took an unfortunate swipe at both of those shows and that was not cool. But, for Earl’s creator, Greg Garcia, who referred to me as a “psychotic”, I have only one question. Why are you Scientologists always rendering these medical opinions you aren’t qualified to give?”

Then, in a beautiful turn of events, Greg Garcia issued this statement via Gawker.  I’m no fan of Earl, but it’s pretty priceless.

“Alec, I can’t tell you how happy I am to once again point out that you are an idiot. I’m unable to answer your question about Scientologists because, although I respect anyone’s right to their own beliefs, I am not currently nor have I ever been a Scientologist. Maybe you should have done some research that extended past the comments section of Defamer before you crafted your insult.”

“If you choose to attack me again may I suggest something witty about me creating the show Yes Dear or just simply a joke about the fact that I’m bald. Both true.

“As far as you being psychotic, anyone who thinks NBC wouldn’t do everything they could to promote a great show like 30 Rock, which they own, over a show like My Name is Earl, which they don’t, is a tad nutty.

“Good luck with the Emmys and don’t forget to tune in for the one hour season premiere of My Name is Earl September 25th.”

I think this is the last time I can get away with using “It’s the Upfronts” as a vehicle for introducing new shows — given that it’s September. But if you are wanting for information on new shows, I suggest visiting one of the lovely fall season calendars made in this week’s TV Blog Coalition.

This is a show called Worst Week — an American remake of a show called “The Worst Week of My Life.”

The way I see it, the show has a few things going for it:

• It’s a single-camera sitcom, which (for some reason) makes everything seem a bit funnier even when it’s not.
• The leading man, Kyle Bornheimer, is kind of cute-ish in a bulldoggish sort of way.
• Some genuinely funny (I’m tempted to append the word ‘funny’ with the ‘ish’ suffix, but that seems excessive) moments in the preview. Mostly, it’s the cast working hard to sell some mediocre material.
• A sort of refreshingly charming tone.

Then there are some things working against it:

• First and foremost, the show is being marketed as a comedy power hour with Two and a Half Men. That fact alone sort of ruins all hope.
• It seems like a sitcom version of Meet the Parents — and I kind of hate those ‘series of disasters’ style comedies.
• Bornheimer is no John Krasinski.
• I have a feeling that this show might get lost in translation a la Coupling.
• How the hell are they making this a series?  It seems like a feature film.

I kind of feel bad for Kurtwood Smith, who plays the father. From Robocop to That Seventies Show, he’s made his fortune on the fact that he has a mean face. I guess he can always feel good that he’s a steadily working actor, but to know that most of your roles involve furrowed brows, diabolical scheming and bitter exchanges must be a bit of a downer.

Maybe I’ll give it a shot and dare to dream that it could be decent — but the last thing I need right now is another show that I’m not terribly invested in but refuse to stop watching (looking at you, Eli Stone. If Johnny Lee Miller — and for that matter the entire male cast — weren’t so hot you’d be gone in a minute.).

• Gary Coleman ran over some dude in a parking lot
• Project Runway 6 has been pushed back to January
• Salon gives their 5th annual Buffy award to The Shield
• Chicago Tribune breaks down the lameness of this year’s VMA’s
• Stephen Colbert sends his DNA into space
• 4400 co-creator is working on a new show about aliens
• Production of 24 shut down due to lame scripts
• Michael Cera doesn’t want to do an Arrested Development movie
• 66% of the Earth’s population watched the Olympics
• This day in lists: The 10 most underrated cartoon sidekicks
• And is Buffy’s college roommate trying to sell corn syrup as being healthy?
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