Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin
Self-Description:
“From WNYC Studios, award-winning actor Alec Baldwin takes listeners into the lives of artists, policy makers and performers. Alec sidesteps the predictable by going inside the dressing rooms, apartments, and offices of people we want to understand better. Hear what happens when an inveterate guest becomes a host.”
Review:
There are a lot of interview-style podcasts and radio shows out there. And there’re probably a lot of them that have interviewed Alec Baldwin. But there’s only one podcast that turns the tables, with Alec Baldwin himself interviewing leading names in culture, industry, and politics.
If you’re already a fan of Alec, then this podcast is probably going to appeal to you. It’s a pretty standard interview show, with the fact that it’s Alec doing the interviewing as the central source of the show’s allure. Don’t get me wrong--Alec is great and all, but I’m not really sure the show would have legs to stand on without him just in terms of who the guests being interviewed are. What I mean is, at least for me, it’s pretty hit-or-miss. There are some occasional gems, of course, which I would assume is the result of Alec’s star-power ability to pull the guests he wants, but it’s not consistent.
Another criticism I have is that...well, it may be obvious...but Alec clearly loves to listen to himself speak. Oftentimes, when he talks it’s interesting and witty. But oftentimes it’s to the detriment of the show, and it feels like he’s speaking over his guests or like he’s speaking just to hear himself talk. We all have friends like that--those who aren’t really listening but rather just waiting for their turn to say their piece or give their take. That’s what it feels like much of the time with Alec and his show. Still, as mentioned, the show does occasionally shine when a great guest is on, and that makes it worth looking through the catalogue every once in awhile and separating the wheat from the chaff in terms of what you want to listen to.
Production:
NPR level. Great.
Consistency:
Pretty iffy.
Host:
I love Alec Baldwin as an actor much more than I love him as the host of Here’s the Thing
Driveway Moments:
None to speak of.
Future Potential:
That all depends on the future interviewees. Check back occasionally.
Episode Length:
40 minutes - 1 hour
Overall Score: 6.1/10
Notable Episodes:
- Brian Reed Thought “S-Town” Could Only Ever Be a Cult Show
- Radio Host Bob Garfield on Trump and Telemarketing
- Starbucks’ Howard Schultz Doesn’t Sleep--But Don’t Blame the Coffee
- Viggo Mortensen, From Warrior King to Captain Fantastic
- Anthony Weiner on Term Limits and Text Messages
- Ira Glass
If you like this podcast, you’ll probably like:
- Death, Sex, and Money
- WTF with Marc Maron
- Recode Decode
