Looking at the current Broadway season, both at shows that have already closed and upcoming productions, the most prevalent trend is star power. And by star, I don’t mean theatrical heavyweights like Ethel Merman, George M. Cohan or Bert Lahr — these names certainly mean little to nothing when it comes to the current theatregoing masses. Stars on Broadway this season mean Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Scarlett Johansson.

All of these actors have names that transcend the stage — something producers surely hope will fill seats as tourists roll into town. While some of these recognizable names won over even the toughest of Broadway critics, and proved more than capable of handling a live production, it was name alone that won them the role.

The trend of casting Hollywood celebrities in Broadway shows is nothing new, and has been griped about by many a theatre columnist, however, with news of Ragtime, a completely star-less musical closing after a brief revival, the subject should once again be analyzed.

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The recent circulation of Christian Bale’s meltdown on the set of “Terminator: Salvation” reminded me of that infamous recording that threatened the career of another lauded actor. No, I’m not referring to Michael Richards’ racist tirade or David Hasselhoff’s burger incident. Neither of those celebrities’ careers could sink any lower.

Alec Baldwin, however, was hit with a harsh blow when a rather nasty voice mail left for his daughter hit the Internet. Radio stations picked it up, and of course the gossip news programs ran it into the ground. Calling his daughter a “thoughtless little pig” is quite possibly the cruelest yet most hilarious bit to come out of Hollywood in years.

But despite such negative publicity, Baldwin’s career has only gone up since that incident. The “30 Rock” star has even repackaged himself as a comic powerhouse and culture aficionado. Turner Classic Movies announced last week that Baldwin will co-host its TV program “The Essentials” opposite Robert Osborne. And if TCM wasn’t high-brow enough, he is now the voice of the New York Philharmonic.

From “Beetlejuice” to his legendary role in “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Baldwin never ceases to entertain. Most weeks his performance in “30 Rock” rivals the best of television comics, proving that talent might be the only remedy for bad PR.

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