Also-ran Baldwin Finds Jesus

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

I learned this morning that Stephen Baldwin (you'll remember him as being the ugliest, stupidest, youngest and least-talented Baldwin brother... and that's saying something) has gone from snotty Hollywood party brat to born-again Christian. The local radio clowns interviewing Baldwin swooned over his so-called transformation.

He now also has this wacky brand of pulpit-thumping he's selling. He drives a mobile chapel of sorts around the country that he opens up at book signings. (Where I can only presume people show up hoping to catch a glimpse of Alec) He calls his mobile Jesusfest "The Lord's Lounge" though I'm guessing the deed to said lounge actually has Baldwin's name on it and not Jesus of Galilee.

Baldwin and Jesus seen here outside a New York City night club. A spokesman for Jesus claims the two are just friends.

He's also launching some kind of new skateboard-based ministry. I'd tell you all about that but I just didn't have the stomach to find out more. You're on your own.

Now, I'm sure he really buys what he's saying and doing. I don't doubt his sincerity. I just don't think he's actually changed. I have seen people make this transition from party animal to zealot before and in my mind, there's little difference. People like this continue to be driven by compulsion and zeal, seemingly medicating some lack of love in their childhoods.

I saw my own mother do this after my parents divorced. Instead of consuming her life with the chaos that was my father, she filled her life with all manner of church activities and responsibility. While the vehicle may have changed the net result was the same. She was still hiding from reality.

So it is with Stephen Baldwin. Instead of being labeled a bad-boy or Hollywood brat, he's a Jesus freak. I'm not sure being the front man for the new, hip, skate-rat Jesus is really any better than being a drunken, womanizing jerk when, in the end, people still think you're a nut and don't give a crap what you have to say.

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