Restore Stephen Baldwin by giving him your money

Here's a website asking you to give your money to Stephen Baldwin, who recently declared bankruptcy.

The Stranger has more:

According to the completely awesome website Restore Stephen Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin = Job. He has been forced into poverty by refusing to take acting roles he didn't like (just like Job!), and now it's up to the Christians of the world to save him so he can yell at people some more and still pay for soul-patch wax and pouting cream.

According to the Q&A section of restorestephenbaldwin.org, "the site was built by SPX Studios, SPX is Stephen’s and other celebrities outsourced internet design company."

Restore Stephen Baldwin!

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Boba Fett Diop

Wait, is he covered in boils yet? Has his firstborn been killed by a collapsing house? No? OK then, I’ll just be over here. Let me know if anything changes.
abstract_reg

Guys. This is hilarious! Why are so many getting indignant when they could be viewing this as brilliant satire?

I was so excited about the joke of this when I scrolled down to the comments only to see most of you not willing to put your tongues in your cheeks.
keypontrucken

That was hilarious. Where are the rest of the parodies of washed-up loser ‘celebrities’?

…What? This isn’t a joke? Well, you could’ve fooled me.
Aaron

Ignoring the website for a moment: That’s an awesome video! I have a hard time taking the idea seriously, but man, the pathos, the pitch, THE FRIGGING HALO…

Awesome. ^_^
nixiebunny

So God gets all the glory when one person causes many people to give money to a washed-up actor.

Excuse my naivety, but what work is God actually *doing* in all this exchanging of funds?
Micah

He’s going to need a lot of donations if he’s going to get a faster private jet. Because every preacher of the gospel needs his penniless followers to donate money for a faster private jet.
Anonymous

If you doubt for a minute that he can’t convince Christians to give him money, you haven’t seen these nuts in action before. They rake in millions of bucks and they’re tax free.

Satire or not, he’ll be getting money. I pity the fools, though.
Anonymous

I wonder if he’s pitched to the studios the idea of a film about Job (either the one from the Biblical era, or a modern-day version) with him in the title role? Then he could have those contributors instead pay to see him in that movie.
keypontrucken

Hahaha, you just have to go to the website too. It’s even funnier than the video. My favorite part are the examples of “persecution”, one of which is: “This sucks for him”. LOL! Gee people, don’t be so hardcore!
Marshall

Why is it that actors, musicians and other celebrity artists don’t seem to understand the idea that maybe they aren’t always going to have high wage jobs in the same industry. Imagine how much happier so many of them would be if they would embrace the career & lifestyle change that they so badly need. You don’t have to be poor and work at McDonald’s your whole life if it’s your first job, and you don’t have to be an rich actor either.
Anonymous

Perhaps god could restore Stephen Baldwin’s acting talent at the same time. Oh wait…that’s right, he never had any in the first place!
Anonymous

Alec Baldwin is Ying, Stephen Baldwin is Yang. Yeppppddddppttt, you shush, now.
Elite Hacker

He’s a tool. Maybe he should look in the mirror and give himself the “Here in America…in MY America (The one we need to take back) we actually work for a living. Take that liberal, welfare-humping attitude and stick it up your gay-marriage loving bunghole. We don’t take bail-outs.”

He can suck it. He’s got two limbs. He’s got a semi-operational brain. Go get a job you lazy bum!
Anonymous

I’m sure Scott Baio would be happy to help him out. Also, I thought these religious types were going to create their own “Hollywood”; why doesn’t he get an acting job with them.
ROSSINDETROIT

Consider the lilies of the field, Stephen. And the sparrows.
Anonymous

I think it’s important that Christians have a choice. And that’s why, inspired by Stephen, I (also a Christian) have put up a site called “The Restoration of John Shore: Giving John Shore money so that people will believe in God.”

http://restorejohnshore.wordpress.com/

Thanks, guys.
Snig

Still going back and forth on whether this is a parody, but the wiki on him is consistent with this sort of behaviour.

This is my favorite entry:
“Baldwin has a tattoo on his left shoulder of the initials “HM” for Hannah Montana. He got the tattoo after making a pact with Miley Cyrus that he would be allowed to cameo on the show if he had the initials tattooed on him. He revealed the tattoo to Cyrus at a book signing in Nashville, on November 10, 2008. To date he has never appeared on the show. He has since gone on record as saying that he regrets getting the tattoo.”

I think the people involved in this website must have skipped over the part in the bible about not worshipping “false idols”.
Anonymous

christ, what an asshole?
loonquawl

All those net-savvy people around here, and nobody knows how the satire-tags look like if they are not set in html. Hit the donate button, have a laugh, and get a grip. Jeez.
lewis stoole

maybe it’s just me, but i would think after blowing the first million, one would give pause and reflect, “hey, i’m a million dollars in the hole”. maybe i just don’t get it. maybe two million is where one gives pause and self reflects. i don’t know. is it one million or two million these days? anyone know?
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  He’s small potatoes. Mike Tyson blew almost half a billion in a few years.
MarkM

This video is so out there that if i didnt KNOW it wasnt a parody, i would SWEAR it was a parody. I almost literally roflmao.

Stephen, though thou art poor in worldly goods, yea, thy videos are rich in irony: rejoice in this!
Anonymous

I didn’t think this was real.

How sad that it is.

I hope anyone thinking about giving him some money, gives it to someone else who really needs it.
HowardsGrl

I think I’ll just pray for him.
ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive

This is on the cutting edge of internet marketing… a crowd funded ministry. He should create a kickstarter campaign.
Anonymous

Is this perhaps just a ‘viral’ website to get the creators some publicity and show how they’re going to revolutionize the web?

Or is the embargo still on so we can’t talk about that yet?
AnneH

What a magnificent illustration of Poe’s Law!
(From Rationalwiki)
“Poe’s Law states:
â€œWithout a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won’t mistake for the real thing.â€

Poe’s Law points out that it is hard to tell parodies of fundamentalism (or, more generally, any crackpot theory) from the real thing, since they both seem equally insane. Conversely, real fundamentalism can easily be mistaken for a parody of fundamentalism.”

http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Poe
Anonymous

A CHALLENGE in response:

http://restoresomeoneelse.org
Anonymous

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Give a man religion and he will start praying for a fish.
Anonymous

i remember a time when he was handcuffed to lawrence fishburne. i think fishburne had a hard time dragging him around, so now, the christians are responsible for him. way to haul the dead weight lovers of jesus!! doing the jobs that noone wants!!
Anonymous

So he wants to be persecuted/martyred, but he also wants welfare.

To quote the conservatrolls, get a REAL job, you lazy bum!
Teller

“Stop doing that face!”
– Derek Zoolander
solstone

My immediate response is ‘Screw Stephen Baldwin. Maybe he should pay his debts and learn some damned humility. What an asshole.’

Then upon reflection… yeah, I basically stick with that position. Yup.
seanpatgallagher

I think I preferred Stephen Baldwin when he was only morally bankrupt.

-S
mellowknees

I think you guys have fallen for it – it looks to me to be a website for donations, but NOT for donations TO Stephen Baldwin – this is what it says:

“Our vision is to see Stephen Baldwin publicly restored in front of millions. Stephen’s platform will increase allowing him to reach even more people with the Gospel and God will get all of the glory. Publicly.”

So, THEIR vision is to get money to continue to preach stuff…just with Stephen Baldwin as their spokes-celebrity. Kirk Cameron must have been too busy making movies about firefighters, I guess.
mn_camera

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha…

Born again? No, thanks, I got it right the first time.
Anonymous

OMG – literally.
How pretentious can you be, claiming to have seen God. Restore Stephen Baldwin to what may I ask? An overpaid obnoxious loud American? I don’t think so somehow… Â¬Â¬
As if religion wasn’t ridiculous enough? Effectively religions are cults with their laws and quirky seasonal holidays and stories, it seems like some people have taken it to heart. The only value to be obtained from religion is the sense of community it brings and the charity (not for Stephen Baldwin). If he was truly a good hearted man he would live off nothing.
Anonymous

[Stephen Baldwin... gone clean huh? Say it aint so]
If this is for real then it’s hard to have any sympathy for someone who’s had so much money pass through their hands without putting any aside, religious epiphanies and bankrupcy aside. Anyone who’s been longterm unemployed through no fault of their own, had sleepless nights about mounting debts and whether they’ll ever work again, knows no-one wnats to help the little man when the sh#t hits the fan. This takes the f#####g p#ss if its for real – the church collects more money every sunday than Group 4 – let them help him.
jamminben

More incredible awesomeness from one of the top most awesome people on the planet. Bonus awesomeness: If you go to donate, it offers to let you use a coupon code. Where do I get one of those coupons!?
Anonymous

What a joke! I can’t believe he is asking the public for money. He and his wife need to go out and get jobs like everyone else doen.
Anonymous

BAAAAAAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAAAAAAAA!

Get a job Baldwang.
Ugly Canuck

As long as the website’s not too aggressive, such begging is ok by me.
But then again, I have nothing: so the beggars get nothing.
Tant pis.
Anonymous

It was on the end of the new South Park episode (Crippled Summer 14×07). Not sure if it is a joke. The website has no clues to suggest it is. It all seems above board and it’s not unchristian to make money out of faith… Look at all the religious paraphernalia you can buy, most of it tacky.
Anonymous

This is a joke right? It should be a joke anyway. IT feels like an SNL sketch. It sounds like an SNL sketch. I’d like to see more hilarious stuff like this. This is brilliant. They’ve taken unintentional self parody to a height that I don’t think anyone else could match. That whole money is the root of all evil and Camel through the eye of the needle thing just doesn’t seem to have registered. If only every holier than thou ideologue could hoist themselves by their own petard like this we might finally be rid of them. The only catch is I’m sure there will be idiots who actually contribute to this.

I’m a Christian and aside from ask and you shall receive I don’t really see how it lines up with what I was taught. How about instead of all the money going to Stephen Baldwin all the money goes to Haiti, or literacy programs or sanitation projects. or cancer research… maybe (if you really want to give Steve some money) acting lessons?
Rotwang

Stephen Baldwin is a tool, and he can eat my shorts.
- Chesterfield
  
  So Rotwang, are you saying you have a job for him?
- IronEdithKidd
  
  Agreed, and why the hell can’t he just bum some cash off his (one successful) brother?
Anonymous

I can’t help but contrast this with Baldwin’s fellow angry tea party protesters who are mad at the people they characterize as wanting something for nothing and leeching off of society.
JoshuaZ

I have very little sympathy for Baldwin. There’s some respect for someone willing to pay the price for sticking to their ideals. But if you are going to do that, the simple thing to do would have been to correspondingly reduce consumption. That he has not done so and as a result now owes 2 million dollars in outstanding debts is his own fault.
- Anonymous
  
  It’s a joke!!!
jeligula

I have to second Rotwang’s sentiment.
tdberg

I don’t understand. Why can’t he just ask Jesus for the $2 million?
A Nonny Moose

At the risk of seeming insensitive, I find it really hard to feel sorry for someone who has the capability of making millions of dollars a year in the manner to which he has become accustomed, but refuses to. When that person puts hat in hand and (figuratively) stands on a freeway offramp with the equivalent of a sign that says “will be self-righteous for $$$”, what little compassion I had left goes right out the window. Not to mention the fact that $1200 a month in unemployment really doesn’t leave me much extra for luxuries like helping those that can help themselves, but won’t. I realize he has his principles to look out for but in this case, I think a vow of poverty might be a little more appropriate to the situation than an online plea for alms.
Anonymous

Sod that, why can’t he just ask one of his wealthier brethren?
Terry

If they really want to make money, they should set up a site where we pay to see Stephen Baldwin get hit with a taser.
sworm

This isn’t serious. It can’t be. It’s too funny.
stupidjerk

NO BAILOUT FOR BALDWIN
Anonymous

“A simple search through the internet will reveal that people not only mock Steven, but mock god as well”

HAHAHAHAH

People mock god on the internet?!?!?! Who would’ve guessed!
IronyElemental

Well, look on the bright side of things, Stephen…imagine how much trouble Alec is going to have fitting his camel through the eye of the needle, what with being so successful and all. At least you don’t have to worry about that.
Machineintheghost

I, for one, agree with the Stranger that this is AWESOME. Don’t think of it like a bailout for a silly never-really-has-been. Think of it as a self-enforcing fine penalizing people who are dumb enough to fall for this pitch.
- JonStewartMill
  
  Don’t think of it like a bailout for a silly never-really-has-been. Think of it as a self-enforcing fine penalizing people who are dumb enough to fall for this pitch.
  
  I thought that’s what lotteries were for.
bluefelix5

Didn’t anyone give him the “consequences” talk? When I was a kid my family explained that I was free to make all kinds of choices, but to remember that every choice comes with certain consequences. I could have decided against doing my math homework in college and consequently been expelled. Then I would have been free to apply to all kinds of jobs that don’t require a college education, etc.

When Baldwin chose to stop acting and start preaching I’m not sure what he expected…?

Being filthy rich isn’t Christian anyway. :/
Anonymous

2010, the year satire became indistinguishable from reality.
za7ch

“All the glory will go to god” and all your money will go to Stephen ‘Bio-Dome’ Baldwin.
Anonymous

Someone needs to make a website: baldwintoobigtofail.com
WeirderYet

Who’s Stephen Baldwin? No really, I want to know.
- Phikus
  
  Here you go.
- orwellian
  
  He was in ‘The Usual Suspects’ and did a great job. He was also in, um, a reality show? With the guy with bad hair?
  
  ‘pouting cream’! I want to buy some! THAT’S what he should sell! “I’m Stephen Baldwin. When I’m not being holier-than-thou and using God as an excuse for my not getting good roles, I use Emo-strength pouting cream. Strong enough for a girl not getting a pony but made for a Baldwin.”
  - Halloween Jack
    
    He was in ‘The Usual Suspects’ and did a great job.
    
    More like, “Bryan Singer, whom Stephen Baldwin thinks shouldn’t be allowed to get married, directed ‘The Usual Suspects’ and did a great job.”
das memsen

I’ll hire him and Kirk Cameron RIGHT NOW and shoot a low-budget buddy flick with no sex in it and a positive message. I’m not joking. Someone give me a budget.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Would you accept backing for a low-budget porn film that has Stephen Baldwin and Kirk Cameron committing abominations?
mhulsebu

I can never remember which Baldwin he is…so in my mind he is Barney Baldwin. The Flintstones movie was horrible but he made an awesome Barney.
- Anonymous
  
  Ok, that’s funny.
microcars

anyone know the minimum amount you can PayPal now a days?
there was a time when you could PayPal someone 10cents and after transaction fees they would end up with negative 20cents
Anonymous

He gave up jobs because he didn’t like them? Wow, and to think the rest of us sit in our jobs everyday and most don’t like their jobs but we do it to pay the bills. Maybe he should have quit hollywood and found a job in another field, again, like the rest of us. If so called Christians are handing out money to the rich to pay their deliquent bills instead of to the poor souls that have lost their jobs and can not make it on the low unemployment checks and feels and cloths their families they are in a sad shape. Not to mention earthquake victims etc. He is doing enough now to pay back his past debts. Come on ,put the money where it is needed not just for something you think is cool.
eagleapex

Poor Trajan font. It’s the classy slut of Hollywood.
WeirderYet

So here’s a guy who’s been busy REFUSING work for the sake of Christians everywhere. Now he’s broke (and surprised about that apparently) and he wants those same Christians to pay him $2 MILLION DOLLARS so he can go back to Hollywood with his head HIGH and preach the gospel. And I quote: “Stephen’s platform will increase allowing him to reach even more people with the Gospel and God will get all of the glory. Publicly.”

Seems to me that you don’t need money to preach the gospel, just some rags, a hair shirt and a soapbox. Now I’d pay to see that!
- Junglemonkey
  
  What if he just wears a raggy, soapy, hairy shirt? Would you pay to see that?
  
  Seriously, I read “Stephen Baldwin = Job” and wondered, well, if he’s doing so well that he is the very concept of employment, why do we need to bail him out? You’d think he had plenty of cash.
zandar

@anon49: “To quote the conservatrolls, get a REAL job, you lazy bum!”

+1 million bajillion.

@anon32: “I wonder if he’s pitched to the studios the idea of a film about Job (either the one from the Biblical era, or a modern-day version) with him in the title role? Then he could have those contributors instead pay to see him in that movie.”

Even better, who here wouldn’t pay to see a movie starring Stephen Baldwin about Stephen Baldwin going bankrupt and trying to raise money from Christians on a lousy website? I know I would.
Antinous / Moderator

Too late. I’ve just donated my life savings to Nicolas Cage.