HOLLYWOOD — Alec Baldwin is taking a bit of a breather after spending the better part of last week running around acting like he was starring in his own version of Spin City.

In the aftermath of that leaked voice-mail tirade against his daughter Ireland and his ex-wife, Kim Basinger, Operation Mea Culpa culminated in a taped appearance that ran on the Friday edition of The View, during which a rueful Baldwin announced that he was going to devote his time and energy to find a cure for Parental Alienation Syndrome in his lifetime.

Body-language experts probably had a field day watching the interview, during which Baldwin, positioned quite snugly in between Rosie O’Donnell and Barbara Walters, reached over to warmly clasp O’Donnell’s knee with his right hand.

But when his left hand was accordingly headed toward Walters’ knee, she hastily crossed her legs in the opposite direction, forcing him to retreat and suddenly notice some invisible lint on his own knee that required brushing away.

A few minutes later Baldwin repeated the dual knee clasp, but this time Walters wasn’t able to pull away in time.

After the deed was done, however, she absent-mindedly wiped off the point of contact before again pulling her leg further away from her invited guest.

If you’d blinked, you probably would have missed it all, but the PVR can be a beautiful thing.

Before the week was over, Baldwin also placed a call to Dr. Phil, who had publicly offered his professional services, and the two apparently had a productive conversation. The good doctor has also offered to sit down with Baldwin, Basinger and their daughter in a healing closed-door session.

Meanwhile, Baldwin also posted a message on his website that confirmed his wanting out of his 30 Rock contract, stating: “Lately I am feeling that a commitment to parents’ rights and those of fathers in particular makes show business seem inappropriate.”

Although he had also mentioned on The View that he wanted to quit the show for which he won both a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, there are some in these parts who regard those sentiments as a little bargaining chip that coincides nicely with 30 Rock contract negotiations.

PAS-hater cynics, no doubt.

Charges dropped on Baldwin's brother

As fate would have it, the same day Alec’s interview ran on The View, car-theft charges were dismissed against his brother, Daniel.

No stranger to run-ins with the law, Daniel, whose screen credits happen to include the movie version of Car 54, Where Are You?, had been arrested back in November on suspicion of stealing an SUV from a friend, but it turned out to be one big, silly misunderstanding.

And born-again baby brother Stephen Baldwin, who earlier this year launched his own Breakthrough Ministry, which will incorporate skateboarding and Christian rock concerts, is apparently joining forces with Lindsay Lohan’s ex-con-turned-ordained minister dad, Michael.

They’re on a mission to help troubled teens through their substance-abuse problems and there’s even talk of an accompanying reality-show component.

As for brother Billy’s latest exploits, alas, so many Baldwins, so little space.