Baldwin (Photo: David Shankbone)
Alec Baldwin, the actor and diehard public radio fan, will end his own popular podcast next month. Produced by New York’s WNYC, Here’s the Thing also airs on over 100 public radio stations.
The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news of Baldwin’s decision, cited unnamed sources in reporting that Baldwin’s podcast could not secure enough funding. WNYC spokesperson Jennifer Roussel confirmed the cancellation but declined to comment on Baldwin’s reasons for ending it.
Baldwin has hosted Here’s the Thing since 2011. The biweekly program has featured him interviewing musicians, celebrities, entertainers and other movers and shakers, including Lorne Michaels, Thom Yorke, Billy Joel and Jill Abramson. The show has frequently appeared among the top 10 most-downloaded podcasts in Apple’s iTunes Store.
Public Radio Exchange distributes the show to public radio stations. It began offering a second season of shows Sept. 1.
Baldwin recently signed a deal to host a weekly talk show on cable network MSNBC, but according to the Reporter, he had hoped to continue producing Here’s the Thing. He may produce a similar program for MSNBC’s digital platform.
The last episode of Here’s the Thing will be posted Oct. 28 and feature an interview with Jerry Seinfeld. The program will continue to air on public radio stations through the winter, and its archives will remain online.
Baldwin will continue to host The New York Philharmonic This Week for WQXR, the classical-music sibling of WNYC.