- The Washington Times - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Alec Baldwin is diving into the talk-show world one more time.

Producers at ABC announced Tuesday that the Emmy winning actor will control the airwaves on Sunday nights for an hour-long series modeled after his ongoing WNYC podcast.

The project debuts as a “sneak peek” after this Sunday’s Academy Awards show, with that first episode featuring interviews with celebrities Jerry Seinfeld and Kate McKinnon.

“I’m excited about this show and grateful to ABC for taking a chance on me in what is, admittedly, a crowded field,” Mr. Baldwin said in a statement cited in the Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve enjoyed doing my podcast for WNYC and look forward to the challenge of doing a show on camera.”

ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey also released a statement touting the actor’s “intellect, wit and wealth of life experience.”

“When we shot the pilot, we knew immediately we had something special … that showcases Alec as one of today’s most compelling conversationalists and highlights the type of intimate discussions that he has captured on his podcast for years,” Mr. Dungey said.

THR noted that “Sundays with Alec Baldwin” will be produced by Jason Schrift, whose resume includes “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Mr. Baldwin has been one of Hollywood’s top leading actors for more than a quarter-century but his best-known recent work has been his “President Trump” caricature in repeated appearances on “Saturday Night Live.”

In a similar trajectory, Mr. Kimmel, who bid “not good riddance but riddance” to Republican viewers of his nightly talk show, shot to fame in the late-90s as co-host of “Win Ben Stein’s Money” and later starred with Adam Carolla in the feminist-baiting comedy “The Man Show.”

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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