Last Monday night at the National Dance Institute’s annual fund-raising gala, Alec Baldwin was honored for his commitment to the art and culture of New York City. Before he got onstage, the 30 Rock star (who’s about to co-star in Adam Shankman’s musical Rock of Ages) chatted with Vulture about his own dancing abilities (“I was not a lithe, supple dancer [in high school]. My brother Stephen was a great dancerâ€) and Donald Trump’s potential bid for president (“The Republicans have to get serious, and that’s not a serious choiceâ€). And then, when we asked a last, unrelated question about whether he’d follow Tina Fey’s lead and write a book, he dropped a bomb.
“I will tell you one thing,†he said. “And that is our show next year is our last year of the show.†Though Baldwin has made no secret of the fact that he plans to leave 30 Rock in 2012, this was the first time we’ve heard that the show itself would close up shop, too. But Baldwin says it’s a done deal that Fey will be leaving. “Our contracts are expired [in 2012], and Tina is gonna have a big career directing films and writing. She’s going to be the next Elaine May. She’ll be great.†Reps for Fey and the show declined to comment.