Not as good as Beetlejuice, but still pretty good

January 20, 2012 12:26 PM

Alec Baldwin has a podcast on WNYC, Here's the Thing, in which he has ~20 minute interviews with pretty much anyone he's interested in talking to.

Guests so far include:
Michael Douglas
Ed Rollins
Kris Kardashian Jenner
Chris Rock
Stephen Daldry
Erica Jong and Molly Jong-Fast
Joe Berlinger

posted by neuromodulator (16 comments total)

So here's the thing: I've been listening to these since they started and they are extremely uneven, but the Chris Rock one is great and worth listening to.
posted by The Bellman at 12:44 PM on January 20, 2012

Kevin Pollack is better.
posted by Fizz at 12:52 PM on January 20, 2012

Was watching 30 Rock this week reflecting on two things about Alec Baldwin:

He is looking really fit and has lost a lot of weight
Really wished there weren't repeated reports of him behaving like a jackhole, because aside from that he seems so insanely awesome.

Will definitely listen to the podcast, hoping that the latter point doesn't become reinforced.
posted by mcstayinskool at 1:00 PM on January 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Really wished there weren't repeated reports of him behaving like a jackhole, because aside from that he seems so insanely awesome.

There is a way for him to prevent such reports.
posted by headnsouth at 1:11 PM on January 20, 2012

Alec Baldwin interviewed Gene Wilder for AMC, for which they wandered around a giant, old building and just chatted (short clip of the hour long program).
posted by filthy light thief at 1:18 PM on January 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Botched last link: IMDb entry for Role Model: Gene Wilder.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:18 PM on January 20, 2012

Hey The Bellman: I just listened to that Chris Rock one and it was great. Which other episodes would your recommend?
posted by 256 at 1:21 PM on January 20, 2012

[insert tired words with friends joke]
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:21 PM on January 20, 2012

I like that it's not all actors and celebrities but actually has some interesting choices for interviews.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:22 PM on January 20, 2012

256, try Stephen Daldry.
posted by neuromodulator at 1:32 PM on January 20, 2012

256, yeah Daldry is good, and I personally liked Ed Rollins, but those are a little idiosyncratic -- you have to be interested in the subject. The Chris Rock one is just objectively great. (Also I personally loved listing to Molly Jong-Fast argue with her mom, but don't know that anyone else would.)
posted by The Bellman at 1:40 PM on January 20, 2012

Related: Joe Berlinger directed the Paradise Lost docs about these murders.
posted by neuromodulator at 1:42 PM on January 20, 2012

I'm waiting for the one where he has his daughter on.
posted by dixiecupdrinking at 2:17 PM on January 20, 2012

I was surprised how much I liked these. As a political junkie, I started with Ed Rollins and listened to the rest within a couple of days. The thing of it is, Alec Baldwin really digs being Alec Baldwin. You get drawn in to the love fest.
posted by readery at 2:17 PM on January 20, 2012

I liked the Ed Rollins one very much and I don't like Ed Rollins. If you like politics, I recommend it.

Really wished there weren't repeated reports of him behaving like a jackhole, because aside from that he seems so insanely awesome.

mcstayinskool, in the one with Michael Douglas, they both talked about what they got from their fathers, and dealing with their own anger and tempers... Douglas said "you had a short handle" and Baldwin said "I used to. I am much better now."

Maybe this is something that he worked on.. I hope so because I really like him otherwise.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:07 PM on January 20, 2012

Michael Douglas is just taking me to the main page of the podcasts, and can't seem to get to the archives... any ideas?
posted by Meatbomb at 6:52 PM on January 20, 2012