Alec Baldwin Wants Out of ‘30 Rock,’ America

Baldwin Asks Out of 30 Rock: In the wake of VoiceMailGate, Alec Baldwin has asked NBC to let him out of his contract on 30 Rock and plans to leave the country. NBC’s Vice-President of Programming and Microwave-Based Technology dispatched to talk him down. [NYT]

Latifah Gives All: New Line plans remake of Steve Martin–Lily Tomlin vehicle All of Me with Queen Latifah to star and Adam Shankman (Hairspray) to produce. Can the long-feared (by us) desecration of The Jerk be far behind? [Variety]

Gersh Agency Forms Book Unit: Longtime talent agency follows Endeavor in creating New York–based publishing rights wing, headed by longtime independent agent Phyllis Wender. CAA, surprisingly, now one of the only agencies that hasn’t spread its tentacles into the book world. [Variety]

SPF Announces Slate: New playwrights in Arielle Tepper’s Summer Play Festival of young talent include Steven Bogart, Bixby Elliot, and Lisa Dillman. Predicted breakout hit: Vrooommm! A NASComedy, by Janet Allard. [Playbill]

Crowded House, Dixie Chicks Team Up: Much-lamented popsters Crowded House to release first album in fourteen years, Time on Earth, in July, featuring collaboration with the Dixie Chicks and Johnny Marr. This item is too awesome to make fun of. [Billboard]

Bacon’s Trash Sells for Millions: Forty-five lots of Francis Bacon’s trash, including discarded paintings, fetch $2.26 million at auction in England. Matthew Barney expected to sell his used Kleenexes next week. [NYT]

Drive Pulled Over: Fox cancels Nathan Fillion–starring series Drive after four episodes, may show final two segments on the air or burn them off online. Dammit! Didn’t they see our fantastic recap graphic? [Variety]

Passions Moves to DirecTV: Totally crazy soap opera Passions will run four original episodes per week on DirecTV starting in September, following cancellation from NBC. Hollywood’s underemployed child, midget, vampire, space alien actors cheer move. [Hollywood Reporter]