The Museum of the Moving Image Salutes Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin on the red carpet at Cipriani.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
The Museum of the Moving Image saluted Alec Baldwin Monday night for his years of acting in film and television.

"I'm very honored to be here," Baldwin said as he walked the red carpet at Cipriani in Midtown. "I've been doing this for a while and when you start to get old like I am, they start giving you these awards. I've got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame now too. I'm getting old."

For many years, Baldwin mainly took on film roles, but now is in his fifth season alongside Tina Fey on the hit NBC series "30 Rock."

He revealed his secret to Niteside of how to be a successful comedic actor.

"I had an opportunity to do a TV show and most comedy involves one central thing -- you have to make an ass of yourself," Baldwin said. "It's not about looking good. You're not playing James Bond. I would love to be James Bond, but I'm not James Bond. They hired somebody else for that, so I make an ass of myself on the show and we've had a lot of fun."

With his experience in both film and television, Baldwin said being a part of "30 Rock" has been one of the best things for him.

"Sometimes the hardest thing to get in movies is an audience, but TV people stay with you," Baldwin said. "They like the show and they watch it every week and we have a great response with our show."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Jimmy Fallon Shares His Best Alec Baldwin Memory With Niteside

Jimmy Fallon came to support his SNL friend Alec Baldwin.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Jimmy Fallon has worked with Alec Baldwin on "Saturday Night Live" and so he was on hand to celebrate the Museum of the Moving Image salute to Baldwin Monday night.

Fallon explained to Niteside why he was instructed to call his family immediately after meeting Baldwin for the first time.

"I remember when I first started on 'Saturday Night Live,' he said, 'What's your name, new guy?' I said, 'It's Jimmy Fallon' and he goes, 'Jimmy Fallon I'm going to say your name more than anyone has ever said your name on television tonight. So tell your parents to watch and all your friends.'"

Fallon added, "I counted six times he said my name that night and I was just freaking out. My parents and everyone was calling the next day. It's a big deal when you're first starting out. I'll never forget that."

There was no question that Fallon appreciates Baldwin, not only as an actor, but also as a friend.

"He's the greatest guy in the world," Fallon said. "He's a gentleman and a great guy."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Actress Amy Ryan Hopes to Return to Broadway

"The Office" star Amy Ryan at Cipriani in Midtown.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Amy Ryan came out to support her friend and fellow actor Alec Baldwin last night at the Museum of the Moving Image's Salute to Alec Baldwin, where she revealed to Niteside that she would like to return to her acting roots on the stage.

"I would like to do a play again before I forget how," Ryan said on the red carpet at the Cipriani in Midtown. "I want to stay home in New York. I've been traveling a lot so if I could find a job here that would be fantastic."

She was nominated twice in 2000 for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her role in the Broadway show "Uncle Vanya" and again in 2005 for her role in "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Ryan has a film called "Win Win" due out later this month, which she stars opposite Paul Giamatti. She can now be seen opposite Steve Carell on "The Office" and said she just returned from shooting her final episode on the show.

"I am very sad to leave it," Ryan said. "But all good things must come to an end, I suppose."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Stars Salute Alec Baldwin

Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin share a laugh on the red carpet.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

The Museum of the Moving Image Salute to Alec Baldwin was held at the Cipriani in midtown Monday night, honoring him for his work in films and television - including his roles in It's Complicated, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, and Along Came Polly. Baldwin is the 26th Honoree of this award.

What an evening. I met Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Amy Ryan, Jimmy Fallon, Ben Stiller, Richard Gere, Bob Balaban and many others. Check out the photo gallery I created from the night for NBCNewYork.

Bob Balaban Thinks Alec Baldwin Would Make A Great Philanthropist

Actor Bob Balaban on the red carpet.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Alec Baldwin has hinted that after his contract expires with "30 Rock," he will be pursuing something new, and actor Bob Balaban told Niteside what he thinks that should be.

"He could just sit back and be a philanthropist," Balaban said Monday night at Cirpriani in Midtown. "He's really interested in his community ... and he puts his heart where his mouth is. He shows up for every good thing that he cares about and supports it."

Balaban added, "I could think he could he could happily make his life by doing something kind of political but really by supporting the causes he cares about because he's very tuned into that."

Balaban worked alongside Baldwin in the 1990 film "Alice" and came to support Baldwin on the night the Museum of the Moving Image honored him with a Salute, which Balaban said is well deserved.

"I love him -- we've done a lot of things together," Balaban said. "The idea that he figured out to be this handsome leading man who did movies where he was so serious you thought you would die or he would kill you or something bad would happen, it turns out to be that he's just the funniest person."

Balaban said that Baldwin's role as Jack Donaghy on the TV series "30 Rock" is very fitting for him.

"He loves being funny," Balaban said. "I think it makes him happy. I think the idea that he spends his time doing comedies now, it's lighting up his whole life."

Lisa Kudrow Gives Advice to Recent College Graduates

The amazing Lisa Kudrow at the Webby Awards.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Actress Lisa Kudrow recently spoke at the commencement ceremonies at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. While most graduation speakers talk about what lies ahead in the students lives, Kudrow focused on what lies within each of them. She attended the Webby Awards last night and talked about what she felt was the best thing for young people to remember.

“I told them that everyone has their own path,” Kudrow said. “I wanted them to remember that their 20’s is a time for them to encounter crossroads, but it will all work out.”

She said that her speech focused on letting the students know that they aren’t alone in what they face after graduation and even though it may not all be easy, “moments of doubt are just moments.”

Kudrow graduated from the college, with a degree in biology, in 1985. She won this years’ Webby Award for Best Comedy: Long Form or Series, for her web series, “Web Therapy,” which is currently in its third season.

"The Office" Star B.J. Novak: Working With Steve Carell Is the "Greatest Privilege"

B.J. Novak, aka Ryan from The Office, was the host of this years Webby Awards.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
"The Office" star B.J. Novak, who hosted the 14th annual Webby Awards in Lower Manhattan last night, said working with sitcom co-star Steve Carell is the highest honor in the business.

"Working with him is the greatest privilege in comedy," Novak said on the red carpet at the Webby Awards.

The actor, writer, and comedian confessed he was nervous to fulfill his hosting duties for the award show that closes out Internet Week because celebrity critic Roger Ebert was in the audience.

"I'm so scared to host tonight because Roger Ebert is going to be in the audience," Novak said. "The entire time, I will be watching his thumbs for any movement in the right direction."

He added, "I will be composing his review in my head so my mind will be going."

Hosting duties at this year's award show isn't the only recent connection the actor has had with the Internet. On this year's season finale of NBC's "The Office," Novak's character, Ryan, decided to create a social networking site called "Woof" that links up all other social networking sites for a monthly fee of $12.95.

"It's the worst idea I've ever heard," Novak said, laughing. "But he's a smart guy and it will be good for him."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

PS-22 Chorus Named Webby Artist of the Year

PS-22 students got a standing ovation.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
The school chorus from PS-22 in Staten Island -- a group that boasts millions of YouTube page views -- was honored as Artist of the Year last night at the annual Webby Awards.

The fifth graders, whose renditions of pop hits like Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" have made them viral video wunderkinds, performed Ne-Yo's hit single, "Closer," on stage after being presented with their award by the R&B artist himself at the ceremony held at Cipriani Wall Street.

"We lost hours of time at work watching these kids online," confessed award show host and "The Office" star B.J. Novak.

The cast of the reality web series "The Specials" also won big last night, taking home the honor of Best Reality Web Series. The group traveled to New York from the U.K. just to accept their Webby.

Critic Roger Ebert won Person of the Year -- and kept his speech brief. "Veni. Vedi. Vici," he said, meaning I came. I saw. I conquered.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

The 14th Annual Webby Awards

Lisa Kudrow (FRIENDS), Dylan Ratigan (MSNBC), and Arianna Huffington (Huffington Post) on the red carpet at the Webby Awards 2010.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

I attended the 14th Annual Webby Awards last night for NBC. I was at Cipriani Wall Street in lower Manhattan for the red carpet and the award show. I also went to the Webby Gala After Party, held in the Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel.

This was a phenomenal event and I met some amazing people, including Lisa Kudrow, B.J. Novak, Buzz Aldren, Amy Poehler, Roger Ebert, Ben Folds, Gilbert Gottfried (with the Aflac duck in his arms), Neil Pasricha, and the band OK Go!

My stories about this event will follow...