Your cultural question of the winter

As the writer’s strike continues to not end, let’s consider a key cultural question that’s been nagging me in recent weeks. I don’t care for Alec Baldwin’s politics, and I suspect he’s not really a terribly nice person. That said, the man can chew through scenery with the best of them, and he’s the best ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

As the writer's strike continues to not end, let's consider a key cultural question that's been nagging me in recent weeks. I don't care for Alec Baldwin's politics, and I suspect he's not really a terribly nice person. That said, the man can chew through scenery with the best of them, and he's the best thing on the best comedy on television, 30 Rock. So, here's your question: which is the signature Alec Baldwin performance? The gold standard, of course, is his very not-safe-for-work monologue in Glengarry Glen Ross: However, maybe, just maybe, Baldwin's psychiatric role-playing tour-de-force in an October episode of 30 Rock tops his previous acting apex. Watch for yourself and help me decide:

As the writer’s strike continues to not end, let’s consider a key cultural question that’s been nagging me in recent weeks. I don’t care for Alec Baldwin’s politics, and I suspect he’s not really a terribly nice person. That said, the man can chew through scenery with the best of them, and he’s the best thing on the best comedy on television, 30 Rock. So, here’s your question: which is the signature Alec Baldwin performance? The gold standard, of course, is his very not-safe-for-work monologue in Glengarry Glen Ross:

However, maybe, just maybe, Baldwin’s psychiatric role-playing tour-de-force in an October episode of 30 Rock tops his previous acting apex. Watch for yourself and help me decide:

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

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