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Videos: Alec Baldwin Gives NYers Relationship Advice In Taxis
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 19, 2014
Modified Nov 19, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 19, 2014
Modified Nov 19, 2014
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In the past year Alec Baldwin retired from public life and vowed to leave NYC after a handful of uncomfortable public meltdowns, paparazzi fights, and Twitter rants. But leaving the city (and the public life) is a tall order, so Baldwin has instead decided to take things lo-fi by starting his own web series. Yes, the man who frequently has trouble controlling his anger is now an "internationally renowned relationship expert." And he isn't bad at it!
You can see the first two episodes of the Above Average web series, called Alec Baldwin’s Love Ride. The gist: Baldwin is in the back of a cab with a (somewhat) unsuspecting couple, and then he peppers them with questions about their relationship, how they met, etc. Baldwin will have help from various friends and comedians as well; the first two episodes feature former SNL writer Paula Pell.
The best part of the series is that it taps into the best of Baldwin: his ability to comfortably shoot the shit with people. Whatever you think of his temper and his public persona, Baldwin had proven time and again that he is an excellent interviewer and host (even if MSNBC disagreed).
The second best part? The half-second of slight uncomfortableness when the couples get into the enclosed space and realize who they're riding with. Give Baldwin a chance.
This idea has been kicking around for at least two years: when we spoke to Baldwin in the spring of 2012, we talked about just such a project, except it had a more political bent then.
AB: You and I could spend one hour driving around this city in a cab, pick up random people, and interview them. We could spend one day—an eight hour day—
BY: This sounds like a fun project.
AB: It would be a fun project. And we [would] talk to a history professor—we find a colleague of your mothers, and we ask them to give us the eight questions, this is not a very empirical study—we get eight questions that would help us identify who'd be the best public servant. We ask a collection of history and political science and law professors, government history, whatever, what the eight questions would be. And we drive around and we pick up random people on the street and take them for a cab ride. And we interview…25 people. And I'll bet you half of them, off the street, are more qualified for public office, than most of the people who hold those offices today.
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alec baldwin's love ride
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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