captioning funded by cbs and ford-- built for the road ahead. >> ♪ o, come, all ye faithful... ♪ >> pelley: this week marks the third christmas of the great recession. wilmington, ohio, is one of many pockets of severe unemployment in this country, and just two days ago, 59 more homes went on the auction block. >> bid $114,000. >> pelley: 10,000 jobs were lost here, and at this point, the mayor is hoping for a christmas miracle. the town runs on hope at this point. >> the town runs on hope.

( chanting ) >> simon: he's one of the world's most important christian leaders, the spiritual guide to a flock of 300 million. he presides over part of the christian church most americans are not aware of. he does it from a country that is 99% muslim. come with us on this sunday before christmas on an adventure into one of the most spectacular and oldest of all christian enclaves, threatened today as never before. >> good. >> yeah. >> you always do. your hair is shorter. >> longer. >> i like it. >> safer: he's one of america's finest actors, who moves with equal ease from stage to movies

to television. but for a man so smart and so generous and so talented, alec baldwin sure can be dumb. it's his mouth that gets him into trouble. >> did i say that? >> safer: yes, you did. >> how rude of you to bring that up, morley. >> i'm steve kroft. >> i'm lesley stahl. >> i'm bob simon. >> i'm morley safer. >> i'm anderson cooper. >> i'm scott pelley. those stories and andy rooney tonight on "60 minutes." ♪

throughout our lives, we encounter new opportunities. at the hartford, we help you pursue them with confidence. by preparing you for tomorrow. while protecting what you have today. you've counted on us for 200 years. let's embrace tomorrow. and with the hartford behind you, achieve what's ahead of you. camo, sweet! - chili peppers? - because... you're hot.

alright! kmart makes christmas count with all joe boxer... family sleepwear -- buy one, get one free. there's smart, and there's kmart smart. transform drinks you want, into cold medicine you need. introducing fast crystal packs. a new way from alka-seltzer plus to... get cold and flu relief in a taste-free, fizz-free powder. alka-seltzer plus.

>> pelley: this week marks the third christmas of the great recession. the decline that began in december 2007 has destroyed more than seven million jobs. but that's just the half of it. millions more have had their hours cut to part-time or have just quit looking for work. altogether, that comes to 17% of the workforce. there are pockets of severe unemployment all across the country in places like wilmington, ohio. we first told you about wilmington this time last year, when its major employer was closing. it's exactly the kind of town that washington hoped to rescue with stimulus spending, cash for clunkers, and mortgage relief. but when we returned last week, we got an idea of what it's going to take to bring the country back from the long recession. >> bidding on 8,100. >> pelley: in wilmington, two days ago... >> bidding on 114,000. >> pelley: ... 59 homes went to

the auction block. the struggle to make the mortgage or work things out at the bank ended in foreclosure. >> sold: 141,000. >> pelley: cold in here now. >> jim curtis: it's cold. it's cold. the electric's shut off. the gas is shut off. >> pelley: jim curtis's home was auctioned on friday. it went into foreclosure after his payments doubled, and then he lost his job. curtis moved his wife and boys out well before the auction to get it over with. when you received that foreclosure notice, what did you think? >> curtis: i let me my family down. i've always kind of taught... sorry, i've always been kind of taught to stand on my own two feet and that i'm responsible for taking care of them. and it's tough on us.

>> pelley: curtis built a career, 24 years, at airborne express, later bought by d.h.l. the courier's national hub was wilmington's old air base, what they now call the air park. curtis managed more than a hundred people in the hazardous materials department. but when d.h.l. express closed its domestic delivery service, 10,000 people lost their jobs. when we visited last december, d.h.l. was counseling workers on unemployment and retraining. and like many, lora walker was scared. >> lora walker: to me, it was like being on the "titanic"-- it's not only filling with water, we're going down. >> pelley: she grabbed every lifeline. in the year since we met her, she improvised jobs and went to classes in medical records management, a new field where she might find work. there were new text books to buy... >> walker: there goes all my money. >> pelley: ... an oven to fix for a side business baking cakes...

>> walker: okay, that ain't going to work. >> pelley: ... and a job at a farm supply for which she's paid in bales of hay. you're getting paid with hay? >> walker: i'm getting paid with hay. >> pelley: the hay is for horses she still has from the days when her late husband raised them on the farm she's struggling to keep. she had to put two down recently. they were old and sick, and she couldn't afford to care for them anymore. >> walker: you look out into the field and think, "who can i euthanize?" and you start with the older ones and you go from there. >> pelley: with bartering, baking, and unemployment, she and daughter allison live on one quarter of her former paycheck. >> walker: this is another notice that they're going to turn my electric off. i can't go without car insurance. i can't go without my life insurance. i don't have health insurance because i can't afford it. >> pelley: wait a minute, you have life insurance but not health insurance? >> walker: right. >> pelley: why is that? >> walker: i'm more concerned about allison having a roof over her head than i am about me.

>> pelley: you're more concerned about your daughter's future than your own health? >> walker: sure, because i'm not going to leave her. you know, after my husband died, it... it hit you like a ton of bricks. you know, i'm a single parent. and she was 13. and if anything happens to me, what's going to happen to her? >> pelley: people started asking that kind of question last christmas. ♪ they bought presents on severance pay then, but this holiday is different. the pawnshop has filled up with anything and everything a family can sell. with christmas '09, wilmington and many places in the country are facing something new in unemployment. it's one of the unique things about the great recession. never before have so many people been out of work for the long term-- at least, not since they starting keeping records back in 1948. today, 40% of all of those who've lost their jobs have been

out of work for six months or more. there's a ripple effect that reaches all over town. tax receipts are down, so the schools cut a million dollars from their budget. the hospital lost $7 million when many of those air park workers who'd once had insurance became charity cases. >> dr. seema nadkarni: hey, sweetheart, how are you today? >> pelley: dr. seema nadkarni ran the pediatric clinic, which the hospital could no longer afford to keep open. she welcomed poor families on medicaid that other practices wouldn't take. the clinic had 2,000 patients, many of them chronically ill, like this five-year-old named desire who has spina bifida. >> nadkarni: that's what breaks my heart. these children, you know, they're great kids. and it's really difficult. it's hard for the parent who was fighting, you know, foreclosure and fighting, trying to find employment. and now, they have to look for a doctor for their child.

>> pelley: the clinic was shut down last week. two thirds of the patients haven't found a new doctor. >> nadkarni: think that was the hardest... you know, hardest part of closing the office was, what about all my kids? you know, and that it... i just have trouble finding words to describe. >> pelley: and you don't have an answer to that question? >> nadkarni: i don't, unfortunately. i don't. >> you guys want to go ahead and open up your internet. >> pelley: wilmington is being helped by federal emergency aid. $8 million went to retraining workers. and washington spent more than one and a half billion dollars bailing out ohio's bankrupt unemployment fund. but other programs you've been hearing about have helped less than you might think. david raizk is the mayor of wilmington. he applied for some of the stimulus money and got a paving project for main street. how much does that come to? >> david raizk: about $5.1 million. >> pelley: and what would you be able to do with that? >> raizk: well, we'll be able... first of all, it will create jobs, locally. construction jobs.

>> pelley: how many? >> raizk: i would say somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 to 200 jobs. it could create that many. >> pelley: 200 out of 10,000 lost. raizk doesn't know how many of his citizens have moved away. but he has a clue there is some kind of exodus-- the revenue from the water utility is down by a third. >> raizk: everybody's cut back, whether it's been in the government, whether it's been individual families. you know, they're pulling those belts pretty tight and putting extra holes in them. >> pelley: mr. mayor, you're paid to be an optimist, and i think you're an optimist by nature, but we're talking about 10,000 jobs-- those are not coming back soon. >> raizk: it's going to be very difficult to get them back soon. you know, how do you look at the glass? unfortunately, ours is not half full or half empty, it's almost empty, and we've got to start adding some water to it. >> pelley: the town runs on hope at this point? >> raizk: the town runs on hope. >> pelley: a lot of hope came wilmington's way in the year after our first story. in february, a dozen trucks from

the charity feed the children rolled down main street. folks lined up for blocks, thousands of them, for free food. in may, jay leno staged a benefit show here. >> rachael ray: oh, my god! >> pelley: in october, rachael ray sponsored an extreme makeover of the sugar tree ministry soup kitchen. and the people pulled together. in the fall, they harvested community potatoes, part of a drive to grow food all over town. >> bin 15-- three bags, family 221. >> pelley: and now in december, again, the line, this time, is for christmas gifts donated by folks who have a little something to spare for neighbors who don't. >> anita bach: what can i get you today? we got pies back there as well, if you like that. >> pelley: folks who are out of work are volunteering. anita bach used to work two shifts at the airpark, sleeping in the company cafeteria in between. now, she helps out in the soup kitchen. but what wilmington has learned

in this year of unemployment is that charity, retraining, and government can't replace the enormous number of lost jobs. while anita bach volunteers, she and her family also get most of their meals in the soup kitchen. how are the children coping with the economy? >> bach: one day at a time. my son, he had come to me and asked me if i had a couple extra dollars to give to the homeless shelter, or if we had any extra toys at home that they can give to them for christmas. >> pelley: your kids are looking for extra toys at home that they can send to the homeless shelter? >> bach: yes, so they have christmas as well. >> pelley: people like to say their jobs drive them crazy, but in truth, work keeps them sane. this christmas, many in wilmington sorely miss the dignity and purpose they once had. lora walker says she learned

that years ago when her late husband, roger, lost his job as a machinist and refused to be anything else. >> walker: i watched what he went through by not making the concessions, by not making the changes. he didn't go back to school, he wasn't willing to think outside of the box. >> pelley: he couldn't find full-time work for six years. then, he was hired again, and given business cards and a lapel pin by his new company. before his first day on the new job, he had a heart attack. >> walker: and i went to the hospital, and i went in and i was so surprised. and you know, the first thing he said to me was, "what about my job?" the first thing he said to me-- "what about my job?" that's a hard thing to... and then, he died sunday morning. and i was there holding his hand when he died. and at the funeral, at the visitation, i took that card, that business card, that lapel pin, and i put it on his chest,

so everyone could see. and before they closed the casket, i slipped it in his hand, because he was so proud that he finally had a job. i don't want that to happen to anybody else. >> pelley: in wilmington, they say it's a bad day when you get a thick newspaper. jim curtis's house was listed among six pages of homes up for auction. ten years ago, his company used him in a video when he was head of hazardous materials. at one time, he was vice president of the company charity. now, he's sending out resumes. >> curtis: 123 to be exact. i was counting up the other day- - 123 resumes have been sent out. >> pelley: and what are you doing to make ends meet? >> curtis: i have my unemployment while it lasts. i do odd jobs, anything. i've cleaned houses, scrubbed toilets, waxed floors. >> ♪ o come, all ye faithful...

>> pelley: in wilmington, the third christmas of the great recession is about improvising, pulling together, and discovering generosity among those with little to give. >> raizk: it's about people helping people. it's about neighbors helping neighbors. what is the spirit of christmas? spirit of christmas is wilmington, ohio. if you don't have any christmas spirit, just spend a day in wilmington-- you'll get it. >> cbs money watch update sponsored by:. >> good evening. surveys this sunday show the snowstorm in the east cut retail shopping on what's called supersaturday by up to 80% in the storm zone. citadel the country's third largest radio broadcaster filed for bankruptcy today and the movie "avatar" won

the weekend box office. i'm russ mitchell, cbs news. even play a little hide-n-seek. i'm breathing better... with spiriva. announcer: spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled maintenance treatment for both forms of copd... which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i take it every day. it keeps my airways open... to help me breathe better all day long. and it's not a steroid. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. stop taking spiriva and call your doctor if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, or have vision changes or eye pain. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, problems passing urine or an enlarged prostate, as these may worsen with spiriva. also discuss the medicines you take, even eye drops. side effects may include dry mouth, constipation and trouble passing urine. every day could be a good day to breathe better. announcer: ask your doctor if once-daily spiriva is right for you.

make that first step easier, with the nicoderm cq patch. nicoderm steps you down from nicotine gradually. doubling your chance for success. nicoderm cq. three steps, ten weeks and you're free. for your retirement makes sense, just stay on track. what is...? that's the guidance you get from fidelity.

thanks. stay on the line! whatever your destination, fidelity has the people, guidance, and investments to help you find your way. you can spread the joy for less! right now, kids' blanket sleepers are just $3.99, men's flannel shirts, $8.99, and team sports comfy throws, only $14.99. this season, good things come at small prices. there's smart, and there's kmart smart.

>> simon: would it surprise you to learn that one of the world's most important christian leaders, second only to the pope, lives in a country where 99% of the population is muslim? his name is bartholomew, and he is the patriarch of 300 million orthodox christians. he lives in istanbul, turkey-- the latest in a line of patriarchs who have resided there since before there was a turkey, since the centuries following the death of jesus christ. that's when istanbul was called constantinople and was the most important city in the christian world. but times change, and in modern muslim turkey, the patriarch does not feel very welcome. turkish authorities have seized christian properties, and closed christian churches, monasteries and schools.

his parishioners are afraid that the authorities want to force bartholomew and his church-- the oldest of all christian churches-- out of turkey. ( chanting ) his official title is impressive-- his all holiness bartholomew, archbishop of constantinople, new rome, ecumenical patriarch. "ecumenical" means "universal" and, worldwide, 300 million orthodox christians look to him for spiritual guidance. we first met him in istanbul. it was easter, and worshipers from throughout the orthodox christian world had come to celebrate christ's resurrection on the holiest day of their calendar with the man who they see as their pope.

my first question is this-- how should i refer to you? as "your all holiness"? as "patriarch"? as "ecumenical patriarch"? what is the proper way to address you? >> his all holiness bartholomew: bartholomew. ( laughter ) the official title is "your all holiness". >> simon: your all holiness. >> bartholomew: but for me, bartholomew is enough. >> simon: for him, perhaps, but not for us. and while his all holiness may occupy the ecumenical throne, his quarters are a far cry from the vatican. his office is cramped and relatively austere, his desk littered with papers. no michelangelos here. all that's left of a christian empire once ruled from istanbul is a complex of nine buildings tightly squeezed onto less than an acre of land. now, is this the vatican of your church? >> bartholomew: well, our headquarters. >> simon: it's called the

phanar, and it has been the heart of orthodox christianity since 1599. his all holiness promotes an informal atmosphere here. there's none of the ritual that surrounds the pope in rome. and there is no cathedral, only a modest church. the neighborhood that surrounds it used to be greek and christian, but today is predominantly muslim. the phanar is so small, our tour didn't take long. it had just ended when a turkish policeman informed the patriarch that there was a threat on his life. it turned out to be nothing, but church officials say previous threats have been serious enough that the phanar is surrounded by barbed wire and cameras, and the patriarch has 24-hour protection. i think a lot of people would want to know, your all holiness, why the leader of so many

millions of orthodox christians in the world lives in a country that is 99% muslim? >> bartholomew: because we are here before this country becomes a muslim country, much earlier. since ever. since the very beginning. >> simon: since the very beginning of what? >> bartholomew: of the foundation of our church. of the church of constantinople. >> simon: and in the beginning, istanbul was called constantinople-- the ancient city on the bosphorus where east meets west. the city's skyline is dominated by minarets. at friday prayers, the mosques are teeming. ( bell rings ) but the city's richest and most renowned christian churches are museums today, mecca's for tourists, not for worshipers.

from the chora church, with its fresco of jesus whose eyes seem to go right through you, to the hagia sophia, the first great church in christendom and an architectural wonder built a thousand years before st. peters in rome, and for centuries, the most important church in the christian world. ( chanting ) fast forward a few centuries and it's hard to find christians in istanbul. this church holds 500 people, but during its sunday service its pews were practically empty. it was the same everywhere we went. at the turn of the last century there were nearly two million orthodox christians in turkey. one and a half million were expelled in 1923 and another 150,000 left after violent anti- christian riots in istanbul in 1955. today, in all of turkey, there

are only 4,000 orthodox christians left. >> bartholomew: we are treated as citizens of second class. >> simon: you're treated as second-class citizens? >> bartholomew: and we don't feel that we enjoy our full rights as turkish citizens. >> simon: if you're treated as second-class citizens here and you are greek, why don't you go to greece? >> bartholomew: because we love our country. we are born here. we want to die here. we feel that our mission is here as it has been for 17 entire centuries. >> simon: 17 centuries? >> bartholomew: 17 centuries. and i wonder why the authorities of our country do not respect this history. >> simon: to better understand the patriarch's frustration, he suggested we head off on our own

mission, 500 miles east of istanbul to a region called cappadocia. we launched our search for this christian history in a hot air balloon and came upon one of the most bizarre and dramatic landscapes on earth. from above the clouds, it looks like a city of stone. and when you approach the cliffs you see doors and windows carved by hand into the rocks eons ago. it's extraordinary enough from the outside, but open one of the doors and step inside, and you enter a world of unfathomable beauty. chapels with frescos painted while rome was still ruled by the caesars and bethlehem and nazareth were dusty little towns. are there any christian remains as old as this in the holy land, in jerusalem or bethlehem?

>> sevim karabiyik: not that i know of. >> simon: our guide, sevim karabiyik, told us-- much to our surprise- that the four gospels were written in turkey and that three of the apostles spread the word here. there are hundreds of these churches in cappadocia where christians sought refuge from persecution. the oldest, built in the 5th century when christianity was in its infancy. do you think many christians realize that it all started here in turkey? >> karabiyik: personal experience? no. >> simon: it all started in the holy land, because that's... >> karabiyik: but... >> simon: ...where jesus is from. because nobody... >> karabiyik: that that's where it's taken... >> simon: ...disputes that. but the christian religion began in turkey. >> karabiyik: in anatolia, in turkey. >> simon: the patriarch then sent us to the depths of the sinai desert, to a greek orthodox monastery where early christians also sought protection. it's called st. catherine's, and

it's located at the foot of mount sinai where, according to tradition, moses received the ten commandments. it is the oldest functioning monastery anywhere. there are 25 monks here today, servicing the smallest diocese in the world. the monks are all greek, with one exception. >> father justin: all together, we have 3,300 manuscripts. >> simon: the chief librarian, overseeing an incomparable collection of ancient manuscripts, is father justin. >> justin: most of these date from the 10th to the 14th century. >> simon: a converted baptist from el paso, texas. he showed us the monastery's collection of byzantine icons, the largest and oldest collection of icons in the world. then he took us to what the patriarch really wanted us to see-- a little-known letter written by the prophet mohammed,

almost 1,400 years ago, signed and sealed with his hand print, offering protection and religious freedom to the christians of the monastery. >> justin: these are precedents from mohammed himself for toleration and peace among people of differing faiths. >> simon: the patriarch then brought us back to the 21st century and turkey, to his own back yard. he took us for a ride on an island off of istanbul in a carriage with a police escort. the patriarch wanted to show us that mohammed's message of tolerance has not been received by the turkish authorities. his prime example-- the halki school of theology, the only greek orthodox seminary in turkey, empty and abandoned. no priests, no prayers. thank you, your all holiness. it's very kind of you. the halki was closed down by turkish authorities after passage of a law banning private higher education.

that was back in 1971. >> bartholomew: it's a pity and a shame. it's a crime to keep such a school closed, unused, for no reason. why? >> simon: reasons of state. >> bartholomew: reasons of state. >> simon: as a consequence, the church can't train new priests, potential new patriarchs who, under turkish law, have to be born in turkey. it's as if rome closed down the college of cardinals. the hallways where 100 young seminarians roamed are desolate now. the library's priceless collection of old manuscripts lies untouched. walk into a classroom and it seems as if the students had just gone home today, not 38 years ago. >> bartholomew: this school prepared people who preached peace, preached unity, preached love. so not giving to the church the

possibility to prepare these people, we offend human dignity. >> simon: the patriarch says it not only offends human dignity, it offends him personally, because this is his alma mater. halki is where he studied to be a priest. so you studied in a classroom just like this? >> bartholomew: yes, for seven years. >> simon: the patriarch was born dimitrious arhondonis in turkey. like all turkish citizens, he served in the turkish army. he was ordained at the age of 21 and elected ecumenical patriarch in 1991. but the turkish government does not recognize the ecumenical or international part of his title. to them, he is merely a local bishop. >> bartholomew: i have visited the prime minister, submitting our problems, concrete problems, and asking why, and asking to help us.

>> simon: do you get answers? >> bartholomew: never. >> simon: do you sometimes fear that the community will be wiped out? >> bartholomew: not really. we survived. we do believe in miracles. >> simon: and that, the patriarch says, is because turkey is also the holy land, spiritually not very far from jerusalem. >> bartholomew: this is the continuation of jerusalem. and for us, it is equally a holy and sacred land. we prefer to stay here, even crucified sometimes. because in the gospel, it is written that it is given to us not only to believe in christ, but also to suffer for christ. >> simon: he said even to be crucified sometimes? >> bartholomew: yes.

because we believe in the resurrection. after the crucifixion, resurrection comes. >> simon: do you feel personally, your holiness, that you are being crucified sometimes? >> bartholomew: yes, i do. ( inspirational music playing ) now you can get the latest name-brand cell phones where you already save. well, actually, just a few rows over in walmart's expanded electronics department. get unbeatable prices on new fully-activated verizon wireless, t-mobile or at&t phones. they're a lot closer than you think. save money. live better. walmart. we decide to turn in early. we just know. announcer: finding the moment that's right for you both can take some time. that's why cialis gives men with erectile

dysfunction options: 36-hour cialis or cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment is right. tell your doctor about your medical condition and all medications and ask if you're healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. don't drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long term injury seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision stop taking cialis and call your doctor right away. announcer: cialis for daily use or 36-hour cialis. ask your doctor if cialis is right for you, so when the moment is right, you can be ready.

bank of america lends nearly 3 billion dollars to individuals, institutions, schools, organizations and businesses in every corner of the economy. america. growing stronger. every day.

>> safer: the actor/activist alec baldwin is hard to miss these days. one of the mainstays of the television show "30 rock," soon to host the academy awards along with steve martin, and starring in a new movie with meryl streep opening christmas day. as we first reported last year, baldwin is an old-fashioned trouper, moving with ease from dark drama to slapstick buffoonery. off the set, he is an incurable political junkie. to the right wing, he is the embodiment of liberalism run amok, but baldwin is no shrinking violet. he can be a vicious attack dog, and in fact it's his mouth that most often gets him into trouble. love him or hate him, he's just about the freest spirit you'll find on the stage, or anywhere else. you, pretty early on, made a conscious decision that you did

not want to be a movie star. >> alec baldwin: you have to want it more than anything else, and i did want it more than anything else. >> safer: alec baldwin's star rose in the '80s with memorable turns in "married to the mob" and "working girl." >> baldwin: i want to get things solidified, things in my life. you're not the only one who has plans, you know? >> safer: and by 1990, true mega-stardom seemed ensured when he starred as jack ryan, the hero of the "the hunt for red october," the first in a series of tom clancy thrillers. but when he was offered the next jack ryan role in "patriot games," he said, "no" and instead chose broadway and "streetcar named desire." hollywood was not amused. >> baldwin: they kind of look at you like, "we don't ask just anybody to do this, you know?" and when you don't do it, they are appalled. they think you're just... you're a moron. and they went and got somebody else to do the movie. >> safer: harrison ford. >> baldwin: that's what they tell me, yeah. >> safer: harrison ford as jack

ryan became a multibillion- dollar franchise, and the smart money thought baldwin had blown it. but he claims he has no regrets. you said that many of those action movies could be done by your doorman. >> baldwin: did i say that? >> safer: yeah, you did. >> baldwin: how rude of you to bring that up, morley. >> safer: his decision to play broadway brought him a reputation as "talented but cantankerous." things got worse when he starred with kim basinger in "the marrying man." they actually got married. both the movie and the marriage were certified turkeys. nevertheless, he managed to become one of the more interesting actors of his generation. >> baldwin: i have an m.d. from harvard. >> safer: in good movies and bad, his scenes have been memorable, like the evil surgeon in "malice"...

>> baldwin: you ask me if i have a god complex? let me tell you something-- i am god. >> safer: ...or his chilling sales manager in "glengarry glen ross." >> baldwin: put that coffee down! you think i'm [no audio] with you? i'm not [no audio] with you. >> safer: memorable speech in that. >> baldwin: it's only one scene, yeah. >> safer: but it's some scene, yes? >> baldwin: the people who were doing the film were all actors i admired, so it was pretty rough. you can't take this? how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? you don't like it, leave. >> safer: but it isn't just that cold-blooded menace that defines baldwin, the actor. >> alec baldwin! >> safer: he has brought down the house on a dozen stints on "saturday night live," where his slapstick send-ups of everyone from robert de niro to tony bennett... >> baldwin: ♪ i love things that are great...

>> safer: ...to a perverted scout master... >> baldwin: whoops, my shirt fell off. >> safer: ...have become cult classics. and yet, it's his off-screen performances that can get in the way of a truly gifted man. and often it's his liberal politics that make him red meat for his critics. >> baldwin: they hate liberals who can throw a punch. >> safer: "they"? who's "they"? who's... >> baldwin: they, the vast right-wing conspiracy that's after me. ( laughter ) >> safer: liberal politics has always been his passion. he grew up in a working-class family on long island, new york. he has an impressive grasp of the issues and spends a huge amount of his time and money supporting causes he believes in: animal rights, the environment, the arts. but his bare-knuckled approach to political discourse... >> baldwin: not all republicans are as insane as these extremist conservatives. >> safer: ...paired with a total inability to keep his mouth shut has also made him a favorite target of the tabloids. he was dubbed the "bloviator" and was shown no mercy when his

marriage unraveled. you described your ex-wife's lawyer as "a 300-pound homunculus with a face like a clenched fist." >> baldwin: i was being kind, morley. i was being kind. >> safer: it's up there in the pantheon of abusive remarks, correct? >> baldwin: well, i think that people who treat someone the way i was treated during that case, you respond to them. i don't view that as abusive. >> safer: he says his divorce from basinger was devastating, and the custody fight over their daughter was brutal. it all took a physical toll on baldwin. >> baldwin: i didn't care how i looked, i didn't care if i... if i took care of myself or those things. i just couldn't be bothered. >> safer: but the ravages of time and indifference have some positive side effects. he's become sought after to play characters who are not leads, but who add a certain authenticity, like his role as a casino boss in "the cooler."

>> baldwin: you have to go and get all profound on the poor schmuck. "i love you, bernie." what the hell were you thinking? >> safer: "the cooler" got him an oscar nomination and led to more scene-stealing roles in films like "the aviator" and "the departed," both directed by martin scorsese. >> martin scorsese: he has an extraordinary ability to listen to the other actor. it's all going on in his face and in his eyes, and his extraordinary, consummate timing, whether it's dramatic or comic, actually. >> baldwin: how's your wedding coming along? >> great. great. she's a doctor. >> baldwin: oh, that's outstanding. >> yeah. >> baldwin: marriage is an important part of getting ahead. it lets people know you're not a homo. married guy seems more stable. people see the ring and they think at least somebody can stand the son of a bitch. >> scorsese: i can't wait to work with him again. he's a damn good actor, who is dependable and who can really give you the goods. >> safer: his latest "goods," a romantic confection called "it's complicated" with fellow scene-

stealers meryl streep and steve martin. >> baldwin: you look good, jamie. >> streep: yeah. >> baldwin: you do. you always do. your hair's shorter. >> streep: longer. >> baldwin: i like it. >> safer: the transition from heart throb to member of the paunch corps has been almost seamless. >> baldwin: whenever i see a film of mine when i was young, i see someone who is far more vulnerable than i am now. audiences want that. johnny depp seems like someone that needs to be taken care of, you know? women want to reach out and braid his hair or something. and when you convey to audiences a sense that you don't need to be taken care of, there's a whole other set of parts you're going to play. >> safer: you also become a better actor, or a more interesting actor? >> baldwin: you have a shorter schedule on the film, that's for sure. i mean, you're in and out of there in four weeks. >> safer: and it was his willingness to try anything that tina fey was after when casting her television comedy, "30 rock." >> tina fey: having worked at

"saturday night live," you see a lot of actors come through, a lot of movie stars, academy award winners who cannot do what he does. >> baldwin: i'm jack donaghy, new v.p. of development for nbc/ g.e./universal/k-mart. >> oh, we own k-mart now? >> baldwin: no. so why are you dressed like we do? >> safer: and once again, he's stealing the show. >> fey: the first season especially of doing this show with him, is he made us all look better. and while we were learning from him, he was carrying us. >> and the golden globe goes to alec baldwin, "30 rock"! ( applause ) >> safer: "30 rock" has earned him critical raves and awards. but for all his recent success, he says the custody battle drove him to the edge. when he left an abusive voice mail message for his young daughter, it was leaked to the media and replayed incessantly on the internet. >> baldwin: i don't give a damn that you're 12 years old or 11 years, or that you're a child, or that your mother is a

thoughtless pain in the ass. you have humiliated me for the last time. >> safer: i've got to ask you about that notorious phone call. >> baldwin: you may. >> safer: how could you do that? >> baldwin: you get so frustrated. and you realize, number one-- and it's wrong, it's totally wrong-- that i was really speaking to somebody else when i left that message. i mean, i was pissed. i had been putting up with this for six years. >> safer: but you weren't talking to another person; you were talking to your daughter, to a kid. and you said, "you thoughtless little pig." i mean, i... i find it hard to utter the words. >> baldwin: did you ever lose your temper with your kids? >> safer: yeah, but nothing like that. >> baldwin: if you're asking me, do i feel bad about leaving that message, i think that goes without saying. at the same time, i'm pretty overwhelmed by the sanctimoniousness of people who say that. i mean, i got so many phone calls from people... >> safer: well...

>> baldwin: wait a second, though. i got so many phone calls from people who seem as learned and sober and together as you are, who all said to me, "man, i'm glad they didn't tape some of the things i said to my kids." >> safer: as appalling as what you said may be, even more appalling was that it was released by someone. >> baldwin: that tells you what i'm dealing with. but, you know, listen, you use words like "appalled" and you have, if i may say so, a pretty judgmental tone of me. but i think that, as truly sorry as i am that that happened, to me, it only illustrates how difficult this process has become for many, many people. >> safer: he wrote a book about divorce and parental alienation. and says he's repaired his relationship with his daughter. and he maintains that acting is not his life. >> baldwin: there's other things i want to do. i mean, in a matter of weeks, i'm going to be 50. and i have other things... >> safer: you're a young man... >> baldwin: by "60 minutes" correspondent terms, i am a young man. i mean, i'm getting pretty close to the "law and order" judge

phase of my career, you know. "all right, order. everyone, order. continue, counselor." >> safer: at 51, he says he still hasn't given up his childhood dream of being a politician. >> baldwin: there's no age limit on running for office, to a degree-- something i might do, one day. >> safer: if you think being an actor puts you under public scrutiny... >> baldwin: if you go through the things i've gone through in the media, like this thing with my daughter, there's only one thing that comes to mind, initially, and that is how my daughter must have felt to have this played out in public. the second thing i realize is you can pretty much bet everything you own that i would never leave another voice mail message for my daughter that wasn't just like something out of a rodgers and hammerstein score. ♪ how are you today, my little darling? you know, whatever. i mean, i... you really, really manage your... you know what i mean? you learn. you learn.

>> hello, everyone. welcome to the cbs sports update. i'm james brown in new york with scores from the nfl today. san diego wins afc west while denver as of now would be the 6. >> reporter: seed. the eagles secure a payoff spot. the cardinals not their second crown. the patriots move closer to another division title while the ravens control their own destiny in the wild card race. for more news news and scores log on to cbssports.com. you gonna ask him this time? about what? our erectile dysfunction. shh...no...i don't want to talk about it. look, you're not alone, millions of men with ed have talked to their doctors. know... look, you're not alone, we can do this. okay... (announcer) talking to your doctor about ed

may be the last thing you want to do, but it's definitely a conversation worth having. twenty million men have had their viagra talk. when you're ready for yours... you'll find helpful tips on talking to your doctor at viagra.com ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. don't take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects may include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. talk to your doctor today... and ask if viagra is right for you. talk to your doctor today...

>> pelley: andy's been out christmas shopping.

>> rooney: i read where, last year, something like a billion and a half people worldwide bought presents on their computer over the internet. it's one of those figures i doubt, but even if it's true, the idea of buying something i can't see or touch just doesn't interest me at all. stores do a lot of things that annoy people, and i think that's what keeps a lot of people out of stores. i've been trying to do some christmas shopping myself this week, and i'd look through the front window of a store to see what is going on inside. and if i saw several sales people standing around waiting to pounce on me when i came in and say, "may i help you?" i just don't go in. am i the only shopper who doesn't want to be asked "may i help you?" even if i need help? i just don't want to be asked "may i help you?" nine times on my way to where i'm going in the store. if i get lost, i'm not bashful, i'll ask. another mistake they make in stores is assuming that christmas shoppers know what they want. usually, i'm "just looking", but

i'm damned if i want to tell another clerk every few feet that i'm just looking. "what is it you're looking for?" they want to know. well, half the time, i have no idea what i'm looking for. i'm looking for a present is what i'm looking for. sometimes, just to get even when a clerk asks me what i'm looking for, i'll say "what do you have?" in a store, "what do you have?" makes about as much sense as an answer as "what are you looking for?" makes as a question. next year, i may join the 1.5 billion people who shop on the internet, but i'll just be looking. >> pelley: i'm scott pelley. we'll be back next week with another edition of "60 minutes."

captioning funded by cbs, and ford-- built for the road ahead. captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org