Alec Baldwin's new MSNBC show debuts soon, but the actor recently admitted that he initially had some major reservations about signing with the network.


Baldwin's "Up Late" will air Friday nights starting October 11. In a new interview with Politico, he said that he had wanted to do a version of his podcast for network television, and was approached by MSNBC president Phil Griffin after there were no timeslots on NBC.


"I wasn’t that wild about that idea because MSNBC — which I’m a fan of — it had a certain stamp that I wasn’t sure I wanted to wear," Baldwin said. "It is this harshly political thing and, regardless of my own politics, I wasn’t sure I wanted to dine out on that."


He said that Griffin eventually convinced him to do the show. Read the full story over at Politico.


The announcement of "Up Late" came in September after weeks of speculation about whether MSNBC had struck a deal with Baldwin. The actor is known for his penchant for controversy, and has already gone after his fellow host Joe Scarborough.





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  • Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin


    Actor Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Baldwin attend the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2012 "Ripple of Hope" awards at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Monday Dec. 3, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • 2012 Ripple Of Hope Gala - Inside


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) Rory Kennedy, Taylor Swift, Kerry Kennedy, and Alec Baldwin onstage at the 2012 Ripple Of Hope Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on December 3, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)




  • 2012 Ripple Of Hope Gala - Inside


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 03: Actor Alec Baldwin speaks onstage at the 2012 Ripple Of Hope Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on December 3, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)




  • Alec Baldwin, Hilaria


    Actor Alec Baldwin and wife, Hilaria, arrive at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors Performance and Gala, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)




  • 35th Kennedy Center Honors


    WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 02: Alec Baldwin poses for photographers during the 35th Kennedy Center Honors at the Kennedy Center Hall of States on December 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)




  • AFI FEST 2012 Presented By Audi - "Rise Of The Guardians" Premiere - Red Carpet


    HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 04: Actor Alec Baldwin arrives at the premiere of 'Rise of the Guardians' during the 2012 AFI Fest presented by Audi at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 4, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For AFI)




  • AFI FEST 2012 Presented By Audi - "Rise Of The Guardians" Premiere - Red Carpet


    HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 04: Actor Alec Baldwin arrives at the premiere of 'Rise of the Guardians' during the 2012 AFI Fest presented by Audi at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 4, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For AFI)




  • AFI FEST 2012 Presented By Audi - "Rise Of The Guardians" Premiere - Red Carpet


    HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 04: Director Peter Ramsey (L) and Actor Alec Baldwin speake on stage at at the premiere of 'Rise of the Guardians' during the 2012 AFI Fest presented by Audi at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 4, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For AFI)




  • AFI FEST 2012 Presented By Audi - "Rise Of The Guardians" Premiere - Red Carpet


    HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) Founder and CEO of DreamWorks Animation Jeffrey Katzenberg, director Peter Ramsey, producer Christina Steinberg, and actor Alec Baldwin arrive at the premiere of 'Rise of the Guardians' during the 2012 AFI Fest presented by Audi at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 4, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For AFI)




  • 20th Hamptons International Film Festival - Variety Performers Brunch


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - OCTOBER 07: Alec Baldwin, Scoot McNairy, Alicia Vikander, Bella Heathcote, Adam Driver, Elyas M'Barek, Boyd Holbrook, Sienna Miller, Dree Hemingway, Domhnall Gleeson, Nate Parter and Stuart Suna attend the Variety Performers Brunch during the 20th Hamptons International Film Festival at Nick & Toni on October 7, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)




  • 20th Hamptons International Film Festival - Tribute To Ann Roth With Nathan Lane


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - OCTOBER 06: (L-R) Nathan Lane, Ann Roth, Hilaria Baldwin, and Alec Baldwin attend the Tribute To Ann Roth during the 20th Hamptons International Film Festival at Guild Hall on October 6, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)




  • Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala - Inside


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 04: Lawrence Schiller and actor Alec Baldwin speak onstage during the Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala on October 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Norman Mailer Center)




  • Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala - Arrivals


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 04: Actor Alec Baldwin, former boxing champion Muhammad Ali and Hilaria Thomas Baldwin attend the Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala on October 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Norman Mailer Center)




  • Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala - Inside


    NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 04: Actor Alec Baldwin speaks onstage during the Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala on October 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images for Norman Mailer Center)




  • US-ENTERTAINMENT-EMMY AWARDS-RED CARPET


    Alec Baldwin (2nd L) and his wife Hilaria Baldwin (L) greet Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi (R) as they arrive for the 64th annual Prime Time Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles, California September 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/GettyImages)




  • US-ENTERTAINMENT-EMMY AWARDS-RED CARPET


    Alec Baldwin (2nd L) and his wife Hilaria Baldwin (L) puts his glasses in his mouth to greet Ellen DeGeneres as they arrive for the 64th annual Prime Time Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles, California September 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/GettyImages)




  • TEN - US OPEN - DEL POTRO - DJOKOVIC


    Actor Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Thomas watch Serbia's Novak Djokovic against Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro during their 2012 US Open men's singles quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 06, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/GettyImages)




  • The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents ETHEL Sponsored By Capital One


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - AUGUST 31: Alec Baldwin attends The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents ETHEL Sponsored By Capital One on August 31, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images for The Hamptons International Film Festival)




  • The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents ETHEL Sponsored By Capital One


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - AUGUST 31: (L-R) Alec Baldwin and Rory Kennedy attend The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents ETHEL Sponsored By Capital One on August 31, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images for The Hamptons International Film Festival)




  • 2012 US Open - Day 1


    NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 27: Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas attend Day One of the 2012 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2012 in the Flushing neigborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)




  • The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents THE ZEN OF BENNETT Sponsored By Baume Mercier


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - AUGUST 13: Alec Baldwin attends The Hamptons International Film Festival Presents THE ZEN OF BENNETT Sponsored By Baume Mercier on August 13, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for The Hamptons International Film Festival)




  • Hamptons Magazine And Cover Star Ali Wentworth Host Private Dinner For Authors Night


    EAST HAMPTON, NY - AUGUST 11: Debra Halpert, Hilaria Baldwin, Alec Baldwin and Samantha Yanks attend Hamptons Magazine And Cover Star Ali Wentworth Host Private Dinner For Authors Night on August 11, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Hamptons Magazine)




  • Alec Baldwin And Hilaria Thomas Wedding - Reception


    NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 30: Photographers surround the SUV of Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas as they arrive at their wedding reception held atop New York University's Kimmel Center on June 30, 2012 in New York City. Baldwin and Thomas went directly into the garage. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)




  • Basinger Baldwin


    FILE - This Jan. 29, 1996 picture shows Alec Baldwin and his wife Kim Basinger in Los Angeles. The American Psychiatric Association has a hot potato on its hands as it updates its catalog of mental disorders _ whether to include parental alienation, the long-disputed concept of one estranged parent turning a child against the other. Parental alienation surged onto the pop-culture radar screen a few years ago as a consequence of the bitter divorce and child custody battle involving actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. Baldwin was harshly criticized by some feminist groups for citing parental alienation syndrome as a source of his estrangement with his daughter. The concept is a source of confusion and division in the legal profession, as some lawyers try to evoke parental alienation and others challenge that tactic. (AP Photo/Rene Macura)




  • Alec Baldwin


    Host Alec Baldwin is seen during the 82nd Academy Awards Sunday, March 7, 2010, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)




  • Kathryn Bigelow,Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin


    Kathryn Bigelow, center, holds her Oscars for best motion picture of the year and best achievement in directing for "The Hurt Locker" with hosts Alec Baldwin, right, and Steve Martin at the conclusion of the 82nd Academy Awards Sunday, March 7, 2010, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)




  • Alec Baldwin


    FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2009 file photo, actor Alec Baldwin attends the premiere of "It's Complicated" at the Paris Theatre in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)




  • FILE- In this film publicity image released by Universal Pictures, Meryl Streep, left, and Alec Baldwin are shown in a scene from "It's Complicated". Streep and Baldwin will serve as presenters at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Melinda Sue Gordon,FILE)




  • Alec Baldwin And Hilaria Thomas Wedding - Ceremony


    NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 30: Alec Baldwin attends Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas' wedding ceremony at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on June 30, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)




  • Alec Baldwin And Hilaria Thomas Wedding - Ceremony


    NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 30: Alec Baldwin attends Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas' wedding ceremony at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on June 30, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)