Alec Baldwin

Based on the book "Tears in the Darkness,” the podcast recounts Ben Steele’s incredible story of survival.

Listen to the trailer HERE.

WHAT: Just months after World War II broke out, Ben Steele found himself in the Philippines, a long way from his home state in Montana, and in the most perilous circumstances. iHeartRadio’s new original limited series documentary podcast “Ben Steele, American,” hosted by Alec Baldwin, tells Steele’s harrowing story as he became a prisoner of war within the first five months of WWII and forced to take part in the brutal and deadly Bataan Death March, in which prisoners were cruelly treated while forced to march for over 60 miles. Ben came close to dying and was given last rites three times while imprisoned at a camp, yet he miraculously survived. To keep his sanity, Ben began using charcoal from the fire at the prison hospital to draw, and a lifelong love of the arts was born. 

After the war, Ben studied with famous artists and eventually made his way back home to Montana, where he taught art at a college in Billings where he had a particular empathy for, and influence on, students who had suffered traumas in their own lives.

“Ben Steele, American” is a documentary limited series podcast telling the remarkable story of Ben Steele: the best of human beings in the worst of times.

WHO: Narrated by actor Alec Baldwin, “Ben Steele, American” features interviews with Ben Steele acquired over a span of 30 years before his death in 2016 at age 98. The podcast also has first-person interviews with over thirty former prisoners of war, including numerous Bataan Death March survivors, and notable history scholars from around the world.

The podcast is narrated by Baldwin, who also produced the show alongside Jan Thompson and Zach McNees. The podcast, written by Thompson and mixed by McNees, was inspired by the book “Tears In The Darkness” by Elizabeth and Michael Norman.

Baldwin has appeared in numerous productions on stage, in films and on television since his debut in 1980. He’s won three Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes and seven consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role on NBC’s 30 Rock. He’s also received nominations at the Tony Awards in 2001 for A Streetcar Named Desire and at the Academy Awards in 2004 for The Cooler. 

WHEN: The first two episodes of “Ben Steele, American” premieres tomorrow, Thursday, June 30, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays. Listen to the trailer HERE.

WHERE: Listen to “Ben Steele, American” on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. 

EMBED CODE:  <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="200" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/episod…" frameborder="0"></iframe>

The esteemed actor, author and producer will move his star-studded interview podcast from its current home to the iHeartPodcast Network in January 2021 

NEW YORK – November 5, 2020 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 commercial podcast publisher, and Alec Baldwin announced today that Baldwin’s successful podcast “Here’s The Thing” will join the iHeartPodcast Network. Celebrating his tenth season of “Here’s The Thing,” Baldwin will continue his relentless pursuit of great conversations when the podcast moves to the iHeartPodcast Network in January 2021.

Since debuting the series in 2011, Baldwin has interviewed countless distinguished guests including Chris Rock, Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Questlove and many more. “Here’s The Thing” invites listeners to peek behind the curtain into the lives of notable individuals including artists, policy makers and performers as they dig deep to uncover what motivates them, what inspires them and what keeps them up at night.

“With the shift over to iHeartRadio, we’re breathing new life into a project I’ve been passionate about for nearly a decade,” Baldwin said. “Hosting this show and speaking to so many remarkable people over the years has been such a joy, and I’m eager to see where we go from here.” 

The iHeartPodcast Network has grown rapidly in the last several years, partnering with some of the most influential names in entertainment and media. “Here’s The Thing” will add Baldwin’s distinct voice to the iHeartPodcast Network, joining the ranks of titles including “Stuff You Should Know,” “Next Question with Katie Couric,” “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” “You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton” and “Atlanta Monster,” as well as extensive co-produced audio and TV/film partnerships with Shonda Rhimes’ production company Shondaland Audio, Will Ferrell, Charlamagne Tha God, Blumhouse and others.

“Alec is an unmistakable talent and he navigates the fascinating, oftentimes surprising conversations on ‘Here’s The Thing’ with remarkable intuition,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “He’s a natural conversationalist, which explains why his show is so well-loved by listeners. We’re excited to grow the listenership of the series by putting the resources of the iHeartPodcast Network behind the show.”

Executive produced by Kathleen Russo and co-produced by Cavalry Media, all episodes of “Here’s The Thing” will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Fans can visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to “Here’s The Thing” on their favorite device.

About Alec Baldwin

Since 1980, Alec Baldwin has appeared in numerous productions on stage, in films and on television. He has received a Tony nomination (A Streetcar Named Desire, 1992) an Oscar nomination (The Cooler, 2004) and has won three Emmy awards, three Golden Globes and seven consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on NBC-TV's 30 Rock. His films include THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, MALICE, THE EDGE, IT'S COMPLICATED, BLUE JASMINE, STILL ALICE, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, and THE BOSS BABY among many others.

Baldwin earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1994 and has received honorary doctorates from NYU (2010) and Manhattan School of Music (2012). He serves on numerous boards related to the arts, the environment and progressive politics including the Hamptons International Film Festival and the New York Philharmonic. He is also the radio announcer for the New York Philharmonic. 

He has authored three books: A PROMISE TO OURSELVES, his memoir entitled NEVERTHELESS and, with Kurt Andersen, the Donald Trump parody YOU CAN’T SPELL AMERICA WITHOUT ME.

Baldwin is married to author and wellness expert Hilaria Thomas Baldwin. They have five children: Carmen, Rafael, Leonardo, Romeo and Eduardo as well as his eldest, Ireland Baldwin. Baldwin hosts ABC’s Match Game, the classic television game show; a portion of his fees are donated to charity through The Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation.