Author: Sophia Stio

Perhaps you are most familiar with actor Alec Baldwin from his work on the hit NBC comedy series, 30 rock, or as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. Regardless of where you know him from, Baldwin has established himself as a major Hollywood influence. But Baldwin is much more than an Emmy award-winning actor; He is an incredible listener and conversationalist. In partnership with WNYC Studios, Baldwin has managed to create a raw and engaging interview-based podcast titled, Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin. On his show, Baldwin welcomes people ranging from Spike Lee to Jeffrey Toobin. On the September 25th episode of his podcast, Baldwin sat down with Steve Higgins for an extremely interesting interview.

Steve Higgins has held various titles, but his most notable roles are as Jimmy Fallon's sidekick on The Tonight Show and as a writer on Saturday Night Live. What made this interview so great was that Higgins offered insight on the comedy writing industry, discussing the sometimes-difficult reality that writers face on SNL. Higgins touched on the unparalleled exhaustion and strenuous hard work that often go into creating hilarity from scratch. The talented writer added his opinions about working with Jimmy Fallon and “making it” in the comedy world. Baldwin's contributions to the conversation also made things interesting, especially because he had worked with Higgins before on SNL.

Of course, one of the highlights of the podcast was hearing Higgins and Baldwin comedically riff off of each other for the duration of the show. I found myself laughing to the point of tears, while also being in complete awe of the amount of talent shared between these two stars.

Overall, it was really fascinating to hear about comedic television from the perspective of someone who has worked behind the scenes. This particular interview made me realize how much hard work goes into creating funny television and how, often times, people like Higgins are not given the recognition they deserve. I am thankful that Baldwin is giving interesting people, like Steve Higgins, the platform to talk about their career and achievements. I highly recommend this episode, and podcast in general, to anyone who enjoys hearing stories and learning about new things through a cultural lens.