Studios bank on the audience’s attachment to stars, but what happens when the public’s adoration is tainted by scandal? Everybody loved Tom Cruise, but then he started jumping on couches and marrying blank-eyed starlets. Now 60% of the public thinks he’s icky, and his future drawing power seems imperiled. Indeed, every time Katie Holmes was onscreen in Batman Begins, my brain refused to register her as Rachel McLawyer (or whatever her character’s name was) and instead fixated on whether she was going to audit Bruce for Thetans.

And now, as everyone knows, 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin is embroiled in a controversy over the release of an angry phone message to his daughter. I’m not inclined to weigh in on whether Baldwin was right or wrong to do what he did (although I will say that I find myself frequently wishing that Paris Hilton’s father had made a phone calls or two to her during her youth), but it’s now irrevocably attached to him as a personality. Will the audience be able to separate the actor from the scandal?

Of course, Baldwin isn’t the only 30 Rock cast member making headlines these days: Today it was announced that Tracy Morgan’s 2006 conviction for drunken driving means he has to perform community service and wear an “ankle bracelet” that detects alcohol consumption. As scandals go, this one hasn’t received nearly the degree of attention that Baldwin’s phone call did, which is peculiar when you consider that driving under the influence is illegal (not to mention potentially deadly) but yelling at one’s daughter isn’t. Misplaced priorities? Sure seems that way.

Regardless, Morgan’s arrest isn’t that far removed from his character. Indeed, it’s not hard to come up with a half-dozen ways that an “alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet” could be used to comedic effect on the show. But the revelation that Baldwin might be an unfit parent is so far removed from the reality of his character and the show that it could prove just too distracting for the audience of an already struggling series, regardless of whether the viewers approve, disapprove or don’t care about the man’s actions. The connection has been made, and it’s not going away for a good, long while. (It took Hugh Grant, what… six years to shake that hooker thing?)

As has been widely reported, Baldwin asked to be released from his 30 Rock contract to attend to his personal life, atone for his sins, or whatever, and NBC refused, which is either a rare display of solidarity or a shrewd “let’s see if this scandal turns into ratings.” Ironically, though, by attracting this much bad press, Baldwin may have unwittingly given himself the out that he said he desired. It’s entirely possible that what little audience the series has may abandon it out of sheer disgust for the star’s alleged bad parenting skills.

But scandal isn’t always fatal: Gray’s Anatomy (I know, I know…) has weathered the Isaiah Washington debacle. Ted Danson’s career barely registered a blip over the blackface incident at the Whoopi Goldberg roast. Indeed, more people are probably aware of 30 Rock than ever before. If that awareness translates to eyeballs… more people might take a chance on the show and discover its unique charm.

NBC has, of course, already renewed the show for a 22-episode second season. But even if a truckload of gawkers do stop by next season (and by then this whole mess could easily have blown over), I doubt they’ll stick around. I think we’re in for Arrested Development all over again: Baldwin scandal or no, it’s hard to fight the feeling that the show just isn’t “broad” enough for a broader audience. It’s brilliant, but so is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which delivers the same quirky charm without the A-list stars and budget. The sad reality is, the show can’t survive without Baldwin, but it can’t survive with him either.

Enjoy it while you can…

Popularity: 1% [?]