Podcast: Alec Baldwin at Harvard on Scott Brown, Sarah Palin, the Kennedys, and his political future

The email didn't go out of its way to explain itself. ALEC BALDWIN, appearing at the fabled JFK Forum at Harvard University's storied Kennedy School of Government, as a guest of the Institute of Politics. In conversation with no less an interlocutor than New York Times National Editor RICK BERKE (who admitted to staying up late the night before to watch It's Complicated on DVD). But a conversation about what, exactly? And why?

Turns out, a little bit of everything: about half politics and half entertainment, with plenty of crossover between the two. As for the why, well, Baldwin was pressed to specify his political ambitions, and while he demurred, someone reading between the lines would've come away convinced that he'd really like to be the United States Senator from New York someday. 

That was, however, the least entertaining thread in an evening that provided plenty to Twitter about. We're surprised the Right hasn't erected a monument yet to Baldwin's description of SCOTT BROWN as "Kennedy-esque," especially seeing as that remark was delivered on a chair paid for by the Kennedys, by a man who was about to sleep in JFK's old dorm room (see the teaser clip above). Baldwin predictably -- but entertainingly, and smartly -- teed off on SARAH PALIN and ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. But he also gave a smack to HUFFINGTON POST (where he's been an occasional contributor) for turning into "US Weekly." Best part might have been the questioner who demands, towards the end of the Q&A, that JACK DONAGHY give his best advice to Harvard's graduating seniors. Below: the full hour-plus barrel of Baldwin, in podcast-quality mp3. Below that: some excerpts via Flipcam -- excuse the occasional camera shake, which is evidence of your humble camerman losing his shit. And also excuse the weird sync issues -- YouTube's being a bitch at the moment.

DOWNLOAD: Alec Baldwin at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, April 28, 2010 [mp3]

Recorded live at the Harvard Institute of Politics on Wednesday, April 28, 2010. For a schedule of upcoming John F. Kennedy Forum events, see their website. To subscribe to our podcast, paste this RSS feed into your podcatcher or feed-reader of choice, or bookmark //thephoenix.com/podcast