Alec Baldwin Draws Ire of Philippine Senator

During an appearance on The Late Show on May 12, Alec Baldwin jokingly said to David Letterman that he was considering a Filipino mail-order bride - or perhaps a Russian one. Of course, the statement was in jest and was insensitive, but it was certainly intended to be so. That's why it was funny. And, of course, Russia and the Philippines are popular places of origins for mail-order brides.

But Philippine Senator Ramon Revilla seized the opportunity to make something out of nothing and call out Baldwin for his comments about his proud country. Revilla called Baldwin arrogant, which is hardly a revelation, and went on to explain that mail-order brides are illegal in the Philippines. In a related story, drugs and under-age drinking are also illegal in the United States.

Revilla eventually stated, "Let him try to come here in the Philippines and he'll see mayhem." This statement is intended to imply that Revilla would issue a personal beating to Baldwin should he ever visit the country. It's extremely important to note here that Revilla is a former action-movie star in the Philippines and still makes occasional appearances on Philippine television.

It's only in that context that you can truly understand the motivation here. Clearly, Revilla saw an opportunity to create a media buzz and to get people talking about him - as well as about Baldwin and, to a lesser extent, the Philippines. Overall, not a bad marketing stroke on the part of Revilla.